Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
detract. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
detract, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
detract in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
detract you have here. The definition of the word
detract will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
detract, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French détracter, from Latin detractum, past participle of detraho.
Pronunciation
Verb
detract (third-person singular simple present detracts, present participle detracting, simple past and past participle detracted)
- (intransitive) To take away; to withdraw or remove.
2012 May 27, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “New Kid On The Block” (season 4, episode 8; originally aired 11/12/1992)”, in The Onion AV Club:The Conan O’Brien-penned half-hour has the capacity to rip our collective hearts out the way the cute, funny bad girl next door does to Bart when she reveals that her new boyfriend is Jimbo Jones, but the show keeps shying away from genuine emotion in favor of jokes that, while overwhelmingly funny, detract from the poignancy and the emotional intimacy of the episode.
- (transitive) To take credit or reputation from; to derogate; to defame or decry.
1604, Michael Drayton, Moses in a Map of his Miracles:That calumnious critic […] / Detracting what laboriously we do.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations
to take away; to withdraw or remove
to take credit or reputation from; to defame or decry
Anagrams