# detract vs distract

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### detract
*verb · IPA /dɪˈtɹækt/ · frequency rank #28,512*
To take away; to withdraw or remove.

### distract
*verb · IPA /dɪˈstɹækt/ · frequency rank #11,023*
To divert the attention of.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/detract-vs-distract