deleterious
Americanadjective
-
injurious to health.
deleterious gases.
-
harmful; injurious.
deleterious influences.
- Synonyms:
- noxious, destructive, hurtful, pernicious
- Antonyms:
- beneficial
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of deleterious
1635–45; < Greek dēlētḗrios destructive, adj. derivative of dēlētḗr destroyer, equivalent to dēlē- variant stem of dēleîsthai to hurt, injure + -tēr agent suffix + -ios adj. suffix; see -ious
Explanation
If something is deleterious, it does harm or makes things worse. Smoking has obvious deleterious effects on your health, not to mention your social life. My parents were worried that their divorce would have a deleterious effect on us kids, but in the end it was less harmful than watching them fight all the time. For most plants, a lack of sunlight has very deleterious consequences, but there are some plants that actually do very well in the dark. It's a wonder, given how well-established the science is, that we continue to do things that are deleterious to the fragile ecosystem. We must be willing to live with the deleterious effects.
Vocabulary lists containing deleterious
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Grade 10, List 4
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Reply to Dr. Mott's Article in Scientific American of November 16, entitled "Deleterious Use of Alum in Baking Powder." by w. p. clotworthy, baltimore, md.
Deleterious, del-e-tē′ri-us, adj. tending to destroy life: hurtful or destructive: poisonous.—adv.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) by Various
Deleterious indeed, Gerald! wherever did you pick up such a fine word?
From Tom Finch's Monkey and How he Dined with the Admiral by Anonymous
Deleterious Practice of allowing Children to eat at short Intervals.
From A Treatise on Domestic Economy For the Use of Young Ladies at Home and at School by Beecher, Catharine Esther
I ain't got the least idea what that means," said Toby, "but anyway it's the Churchwarden's voice, whether he calls himself Thomas the Inferior or Daniel the Deleterious.
From The Old Tobacco Shop A True Account of What Befell a Little Boy in Search of Adventure by Bowen, William
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
