Detracted

Detracted is the past tense and past participle of the verb detract. The core meaning is to reduce or take away from the value, importance, or effectiveness of something, or to divert attention from it. It is used both literally and metaphorically, with the common construction "detract from" to describe how one factor diminishes another’s appeal or impact. Example: "The constant noise detracted from the speaker's message." Etymology: from Latin detrahere, de- “down” + trahere “to pull, draw.”

In usage, detract is transitive: you detract something from something else. It often appears in criticism or evaluative writing to indicate a subtractive effect on overall evaluation. The term can be applied to qualities, performances, appearance, or public perception. The past tense "detracted" is used to indicate that the diminishing effect occurred in the past: "The film's impact was detracted by its weak script." While "detracted" is correct, many writers prefer "diminished" or "reduced" in many contexts; "detracted from" remains common when describing factors that lessen appeal or value.

Detractor is a related noun referring to a person who criticizes or diminishes something; "detracting" is the present participle or gerund form. Related phrases include "detract from" to express the subtractive influence, and "to detract" as the base verb.