Home › Words › D › detractdetract/dɪˈtɹækt/detract means to take away; to withdraw or remove.Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, detract ranks #16,749 of 42,762 for Qualifying.detract is pronounced /dɪˈtɹækt/.EtymologyBorrowed from Middle French détracter, from Latin detractum, past participle of detraho.verbTo take away; to withdraw or remove.To take credit or reputation from; to derogate; to defame or decry.e.g.“That calumnious critic […] / Detracting what laboriously we do.” — 1604, Michael Drayton, Moses in a Map of his Miracles:Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).Words closest in meaningBy meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.detractingly 78% match — So as to detract; in a detracting manner. vs detract →detraction 77% match — The act of detracting something, or something detracted; taking away; diminution. vs detract →deduct 69% match — To take one thing from another; remove from; make smaller or less by some amount. vs detract →detractively 68% match — In a detractive manner. vs detract →detracting 67% match — That detracts. vs detract →detractory 67% match — That detracts from something; disparaging, depreciatory. vs detract →detractable 67% match — Capable of being detracted. vs detract →detach 66% match — To take apart from; to take off. vs detract →