Definition

1. Noun:
   • The act of harming someone's reputation: "detraction" refers to the action of damaging or diminishing someone's good name, character, or standing, often through slander or malicious criticism.
   • A petty criticism or disparaging remark: It can also denote a specific, often minor, critical comment intended to belittle or devalue someone or something.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The constant detraction by his rivals eventually damaged his political career.
  • She ignored the petty detractions and focused on her work.
  • Let it be no detraction from his merits to say he is plainspoken.

Advanced Usage

• "to the detraction of": in a way that harms the reputation or value of.
  • He pursued his goals ruthlessly, to the detraction of his colleagues' efforts.

Variants and Related Words

• Detract (verb): to diminish the worth or value of; to take away a part from.
  • The minor flaws do not detract from the overall quality of the painting.
• Detractor (noun): a person who disparages or belittles the worth of something.
  • Despite his many detractors, the artist remained popular.

Synonyms

• Disparagement: the act of speaking about someone or something in a belittling way.
• Denigration: unfair criticism that damages someone's reputation.
• Defamation: the act of damaging someone's good reputation through false statements.

Related Phrases

• Without detraction: without taking away from the merits or value.
  • We can say he was slow, without detraction from his thoroughness.

Related Idioms

• Suffer detraction: to have one's reputation harmed by malicious talk.
  • Many great leaders suffer detraction from those who envy them.

Noun

1. the act of discrediting or detracting from someone's reputation (especially by slander)
   • let it be no detraction from his merits to say he is plainspoken
2. a petty disparagement