detracted by

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "detracted by" is not correct in English; the correct form is "detracted from." You can use "detracted from" when discussing how something has taken away from the value or quality of another thing.
Example: "The constant interruptions detracted from the overall quality of the presentation."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

BP: The development tools are much better, which makes developing games easier, which means we can focus on the game itself and are less detracted by battling technical issues.

The Guardian - Tech

Reihentext + Finite Geometries From the reviews: "Such a vast amount of information as this book contains can only be accomplished in 375 pages by a very economical style of writing... it enables one to have a good look at the forest without being too detracted by the individual trees..

Springer

Yet they also wrote that the film is detracted by the juvenile humor and the human characters' eyes.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Ask yourself if each subforum you add will make your community better by facilitating new topics or if it will detract by spreading content too thin and forcing the users to search for content they are looking for.

WikiHow

Obviously, the subjects could cope with detracting information by increasing the neurophysiological activation of the involved brain areas.

Behavioral and Brain Functions

But school-recital acrobatics detracted from the dancing by the Little Rhythm Kings and the PeeWee Hoofers, both from Brooklyn.

The New York Times - Arts

Still, I think the intense focus on political conflict — not just by The Times — detracted from what has emerged as the salient story line, that of a mentally ill individual with lawful access to a gun.

The New York Times

On the other hand, he was praising him for being the most consistent of all philosophers (Jacobi, 1785: 27–29), and even defended him against those — Mendelssohn included — who, as he thought, detracted from his philosophy by their misguided attempts at 'saving' it from the consequences of its unmitigated rationalism.

SEP

The updated production by the festival's artistic director Jochen Schönleber detracted from this poignant moment by having soldiers dart on and off stage in agitation, but generally the opera unfolded clearly.

The New York Times - Arts

On Monday at the Society for Information Display's Business Conference in Los Angeles, Gagnon said manufacturers also detracted from 3-D TV by introducing several other television technologies last year.

MIT Technology Review

It detracted from the sound political judgment expected by an electorate looking for reassurance.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "detracted from" instead of "detracted by". The preposition "from" correctly indicates that something is being taken away or diminished.

Common error

Avoid using incorrect prepositions like "by", "with", or "in" after "detract". The correct preposition is almost always "from". Using other prepositions will make your writing sound unnatural and grammatically incorrect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "detracted by" is an incorrect passive construction. The verb "detract" requires the preposition "from" to correctly indicate that something is being taken away or diminished. As highlighted by Ludwig AI, the correct form is "detracted from".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "detracted by" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided. The correct form is "detracted from", which indicates that something diminishes the value or quality of something else. As Ludwig AI clearly states, the erroneous use of "detracted by" diminishes the clarity and credibility of your writing. Always use "from" in this context to adhere to proper English grammar. While examples of "detracted by" exist, they represent incorrect usage and should not be emulated.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

detracted from

The grammatically correct form of the original phrase, indicating a taking away from value.

diminished by

Emphasizes a reduction in size, extent, or importance.

lessened by

Highlights a decrease in amount, intensity, or degree.

undermined by

Suggests a weakening or damaging effect.

impaired by

Focuses on a reduction in functionality or effectiveness.

weakened by

Implies a loss of strength or power.

compromised by

Indicates that something has been negatively affected or put at risk.

marred by

Focuses on the spoiling or damaging of something's appearance or quality.

negatively affected by

A more general term for something being influenced in a bad way.

reduced by

Highlights a quantifiable decrease.

FAQs

How to properly use the phrase "detract from" in a sentence?

Use "detract from" to indicate that something diminishes the value or quality of something else. For example, "The errors in the report "detract from" its overall credibility."

What's the difference between "detract from" and "distract from"?

"Detract from" means to diminish or take away from, while "distract from" means to divert attention. They have different meanings and should not be used interchangeably. For example, poor sound quality "detracts from" the performance, but a loud noise "distracts from" the speaker.

What can I say instead of "detract from"?

You can use alternatives like "diminish", "lessen", "undermine", or "impair" depending on the specific context. The phrase "take away from" can also work in some cases.

Is "detracted by" ever correct?

No, "detracted by" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. The correct usage is almost always "detracted from". To say that X detracts Y, you should always phrase this as X detracts from Y.