detract

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Both words are used transitively (with an object) followed by from; but their meanings are different. Detract, which (more than distract) is also used without an object, means 'to take away (a part of something), to diminish':

If anything even remotely detracts from my life in a rugby sense it gets binned—Irish Examiner, 2003.

Distract

means 'to divert the attention of' with a person, the mind, etc. as the object: This speculation should not distract us from the real issues—Daily Record, 2006.

Detract sometimes encroaches on distract, especially in the expression detract attention from, which was an accepted usage in the early 19th century but should now be avoided in favour of distract attention from.

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also detract from

verb

To think, represent, or speak of as small or unimportant: belittle, decry, denigrate, deprecate, depreciate, derogate, discount, disparage, downgrade, minimize, run down, slight, talk down. Idioms: makelightlittleof. See attack/defend, show/hide.

phrasal verb - detract from

To spoil the soundness or perfection of: blemish, damage, disserve, flaw, harm, hurt, impair, injure, mar, prejudice, tarnish, vitiate. See better/worse, help/harm/harmless.

v

Definition: take away a part; lessen
Antonyms: add to, increase, optimize

IN BRIEF: To take away in such manner as to lessen value.

Her makeup detracted from her natural beauty.

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For a list of words related to detract from, see:

• Disapproval, Disrespect, and Denial - detract from: (vb) take away a part from

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  See crossword solutions for the clue Detract.

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - aflede, bortlede
v. intr. - mindske, nedsætte, forklejne

Nederlands (Dutch)
afbreuk doen, afnemen

Français (French)
v. tr. - diminuer, porter atteinte à (la réputation)
v. intr. - diminuer (le mérite), porter atteinte à (une réputation)

Deutsch (German)
v. - beeinträchtigen, schmälern

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - αφαιρώ, μειώνω, δυσφημώ, συκοφαντώ

Italiano (Italian)
detrarre, diminuire

Português (Portuguese)
v. - separar, diminuir, depreciar

Русский (Russian)
лишать, умалять

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - desvirtuar, quitar, disminuir, denigrar, distraer
v. intr. - quitar

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - avleda, - from: förringa

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
转移, 减损, 使分心, 诋毁, 降低

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 轉移, 減損, 使分心, 詆毀
v. intr. - 減損, 降低

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - (관심을) 다른 곳으로 돌리다
v. intr. - 떨어지다, 나쁘게 평하다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - そらす, そこなう, けなす

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يجعل شئ يبدو أقل جودة أو قيمه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮זלזל, פגם, גרע, הפחית‬
v. intr. - ‮זלזל, פגם, גרע‬

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