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Detract vs Impair - What's the difference?

detract | impair |

In transitive terms the difference between detract and impair

is that detract is to take credit or reputation from; to defame or decry while impair is to weaken; to affect negatively; to have a diminishing effect on.

As verbs the difference between detract and impair

is that detract is to take away; to withdraw or remove while impair is to weaken; to affect negatively; to have a diminishing effect on.

As an adjective impair is

not fit or appropriate.

detract

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To take away; to withdraw or remove.
  • *{{quote-news
    • , year=2012 , date=May 27 , author=Nathan Rabin , title=TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “New Kid On The Block” (season 4, episode 8; originally aired 11/12/1992) , work=The Onion AV Club citation , page= , passage=The Conan O’Brien-penned half-hour has the capacity to rip our collective hearts out the way the cute, funny bad girl next door does to Bart when she reveals that her new boyfriend is Jimbo Jones, but the show keeps shying away from genuine emotion in favor of jokes that, while overwhelmingly funny, detract from the poignancy and the emotional intimacy of the episode.}}
  • To take credit or reputation from; to defame or decry.
  • * Drayton
    • That calumnious critic / Detracting what laboriously we do.

    Synonyms

    * defame, decry * See also

    Derived terms

    * detraction * detractor

    impair

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (l) (qualifier)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To weaken; to affect negatively; to have a diminishing effect on.
  • (archaic) To grow worse; to deteriorate.
    • (Milton)

    Derived terms

    * (l)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (obsolete) Not fit or appropriate.

    • External links

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