detract from

Related to detract from: trip up

detract from (someone or something)

To impact someone or something negatively; to diminish someone or something. Unfortunately, that outdated kitchen detracts from the overall value of your house. His lies detracted from his otherwise stellar record as a senator.

detract from someone or something

to lessen or diminish someone or something. The large pieces of furniture detracted from the lovely design in the carpet. Alice's quiet demeanor did not detract from her grace and beauty.

detract from

To reduce a quality, importance, or some other value; diminish something: The dent on the side of the car detracts from its overall value. The politician's uneven voting record detracted from his chances of winning the election.

See also: detract

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References in periodicals archive ?

Councillor Berman, who is Jewish, said: 'We should not allow what is a trivial matter to detract from the event which is about learning from the mistakes of the past.

'Too Jewish row is trivial'

(23) They should discuss any issues or concerns before the trial, review their testimony with the prosecutor to ensure it makes sense, and determine if anything about their appearance might detract from their testimony.

Testifying in the theater of the courtroom

While these projects are important, they detract from the department's ability to execute its audit plan.

Companies should improve internal audit policies

If only the prose flowed smoothly, all these problems would not detract from the impact the story could have.

Clarke, Kathryn Ann. The breakable vow

However, these small issues in no way detract from an outstanding work of scholarship that sheds light on politics, religion, prison life, and philosophy in the late sixteenth century.

Marion Leathers Kuntz. The Anointment of Dionisio: Prophecy and Politics in Renaissance Italy

"This means your framing should complement the artwork, bring out die importance of the piece and in no way detract from the beauty it presents.

Frames that fit

Responsibility for these issues is not part of the mission (or expertise) of a not-for-profit organization, and they can detract from the organization's ability to fulfill its real goals.

Buy or lease is big question

Gallay's inability to shed much light on this topic does not detract from this valuable book, which in any event was constructed as a study of how European and Indian societies rose and fell in the half-century after the arrival of white Carolinian settlers.

The Indian Slave Trade: The Rise of the English Empire in the American South, 1670-1717

Unsubstantiated or incorrect examples also detract from the overall presentation of this case study.

The Global Threat of New and Reemerging Infectious Diseases: Reconciling U.S. National Security and Public Health Policy

"When I can take their direct comments back to my colleagues, it creates a sense of urgency to develop biological inputs that won't detract from, and may actually enhance, the quality and wholesomeness of meat and milk."

Open communication: retailers, animal-health companies meet to discuss food system issues. (Food System in Action)

* As beautiful as your kitchen may be, the never-ending production and accumulation of garbage can detract from it.

Making garbage beautiful. (What's New?)

A largely qualitative and feminist perspective approach unfortunately promotes a one-sided analysis, but this does not on the whole detract from the work's overall comprehensive review of welfare trends particular to women and families.

The Insertion Model or the Workfare Model? The Transformation of Social Assistance Within Quebec and Canada

This book could be seen as a promotion piece fog his own fundraising firm but that does not detract from a penetrating analysis of what Christian stewardship means and how it has been subverted by secular fundraising techniques.

Jazz odyssey: the life of Oscar Peterson

Nonetheless, this minor point does not detract from the book's substantial contribution.

Rosanna Herta and Nancy L. Marshall (Eds.), Working Families: The Transformation of the American Home

Also pouting provocatively at camera and wearing sexy heels helps detract from varicose veins (OK, not really.).