remove attention

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "remove attention" is an acceptable and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to mean to take someone or something away from the focal point or to pay less attention to something. For example, "We need to remove attention from the negative aspects of the event and focus on celebrating the positives."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

They include a ton of incidents—unrelated to the rape that they believe somehow excuse or remove attention from their previous behavior.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

In 3 subjects, we removed attention from the stimuli by engaging them in a demanding central high-acuity task.

Cerebral Cortex

Second, we maintained the focus of attention on the target location throughout the adapt and test phases, as removing attention from the stimulus location decreases BOLD responses to crowded stimuli [ 22, 23].

Current Biology

This focus, supported by incorrect species delimitation, carries the potential danger of removing attention from the quarantine risk still posed to Australia by the citrus-associated population in South Africa.

Evolutionary Applications

It would be more than a little two-faced to want people to pay for my content with their attention and then effectively remove my attention from other peoples' sites.

The Guardian - Tech

Remove the attention and they will stop jumping up and try something else.

WikiHow

You can remove the attention by saying "oh" with disgust and turn and leave the room (closing a door works especially well).

WikiHow

To break the cycle, Hasan suggests removing your attention from the distraction, physically and mentally.

BBC

With the Dutch removed, British attention turned to the French Indian Ocean islands, which were blockaded and captured during the Mauritius campaign of 1809 1811.

Wikipedia

The positive effects of removing our attention from the room to check messages and type responses every five minutes might sometimes be outweighed by the impact of disrespecting people we are currently with in person, and breaking our engagement and concentration (and that of those around us).

Huffington Post

It is also almost a modern-day reflex to move from the one task you specifically picked up your device to do (e.g. checking email) to clicking on an array of apps and websites, glancing at the news, Facebook, Amazon, thus removing your attention unnecessarily from the happenings in the room.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "remove attention" when you want to actively draw focus away from a particular subject or issue, often to highlight something else.

Common error

Avoid using "remove attention" when simply implying a lack of interest or awareness. Instead, ensure there's an active element of redirection or withdrawal.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "remove attention" functions primarily as a verb phrase where "remove" acts as a transitive verb taking "attention" as its direct object. Ludwig shows many examples with similar construction across different contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Academia

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "remove attention" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression, as confirmed by Ludwig. It describes an active effort to shift focus away from something. Predominantly found in news, scientific, and general-interest sources, it maintains a neutral register. It's important to use it when you want to actively draw focus away from a subject rather than simply implying a lack of interest. Consider alternatives like "divert attention" or "deflect attention" for nuanced meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

divert attention

Focus is shifted to a different subject.

draw attention away from

Emphasis is taken off something to highlight another.

deflect attention

Attention is redirected or blocked.

shift focus

Highlights a change in the primary subject of interest.

reduce emphasis

Lowers the level of importance or stress given to something.

minimize focus

Reducing the visibility and importance of someone or something.

downplay

To represent something as less significant than it is.

obscure

Make less visible, prominent or clear.

de-emphasize

Reduced in prominence or significance.

diminish interest

Highlights a decrease in curiosity.

FAQs

How can I use "remove attention" in a sentence?

You can use "remove attention" to describe actively shifting focus away from something, such as "The politician tried to "remove attention" from the scandal by announcing a new initiative".

What are some alternatives to "remove attention"?

Alternatives include "divert attention", "draw attention away from", or "deflect attention", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it better to say "remove attention from" or "remove attention to"?

"Remove attention from" is generally more appropriate, as it indicates taking focus away from a specific subject. "Remove attention to" is less common and may sound awkward.

In what contexts is "remove attention" most commonly used?

"Remove attention" is often used in contexts relating to politics, media, or social dynamics where shifting public focus is a strategic objective.