DETRACTING Synonyms: 13 Similar and Opposite Words

detracting

verb

present participle of detract

as in distracting

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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Recent Examples of detracting An expansion into New Mexico would add oil revenue from the Permian Basin to Texas, adding to its economy and detracting, in turn, from New Mexico's. — Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026 Some asserted that the commitment and costs of traveling and attending meetings paired with the limited compensation was detracting members of the public from running for office. — Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for detracting

Verb

Today’s computers are approachable, but also distracting, argues Caligra co-founder and CEO Grant Bisset.

— Daniel Varghese, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Maybe his conning can be curtailed someday, but the thought there’d ever be enough distracting chaos for a similarly lengthy follow-up is almost too much to bear.

— Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of distracting

Verb

The complaint accuses Love Renaissance of improperly diverting money from Walker’s touring, recording, marketing, and merchandising budgets, while charging excessive company expenses to those accounts in bad faith.

— Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 13 Oct. 2026
An Avianca flight heading from Colombia to New York was rocked by turbulence, diverting the plane to Miami on Friday and sending several crew members and passengers to the hospital.

— Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of diverting

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detracted

detracting

detraction

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“Detracting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detracting. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of detracting

verb

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