detracts

present tense third-person singular of detract
as in distracts
to draw the attention or mind to something else numerous typos in the text detract the reader's attention from the novel's intricate plot

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of detracts If the expansion detracts somehow from the SARA cult fever, the co-owners are OK with that. Senior Wine Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 15 June 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detracts
Verb
  • There’s the studio version, which has some really interesting production, with Meg’s shuddering percussion that eventually grates and distracts, and Jack’s very chunky guitar.
    Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Outer Banks’ success has always rested on an emotional depth that distracts from nonsense plot points and over-the-top escapades.
    CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Instead, your body diverts its limited calories elsewhere, pushing hair follicles into a two- to four-month resting phase before hair eventually sheds.
    Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Blocking one chokepoint diverts traffic to others, congesting alternatives.
    Mark Leonard, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Detracts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detracts. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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