Detract-Distract | Commonly Confused Words
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Detract vs. Distract

Detract

/dɪˈtrakt/
To reduce the importance, value, or quality of something

Examples:

His constant gossip detracts from his professionalism.The loud music detracted from the dining experience.Critics argue that the subplot detracts from the main story.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Distract

/dɪˈstrækt/
To take someone's attention away from something

Examples:

I got distracted.She's quite adept at distracting us from it.She asks flashing me some sweet, innocent glare to distract me.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Ways to tell them apart:

etymology
  • To detract is often related to taking something away, such as a value or quality, while distract involves diverting attention.
  • Think of detract as a term used in criticism, like removing merit from someone’s argument.
  • Distract typically involves attention, like when noise causes you to lose focus on your work.
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