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Synonyms

detrimental

American  
[de-truh-men-tl] / ˌdɛ trəˈmɛn tl /

adjective

  1. causing detriment, as loss or injury; damaging; harmful.


noun

  1. a detrimental person or thing.

detrimental British  
/ ˌdɛtrɪˈmɛntəl /

adjective

  1. harmful; injurious; prejudicial

    smoking can be detrimental to health

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • detrimentality noun
  • detrimentally adverb
  • detrimentalness noun
  • nondetrimental adjective
  • nondetrimentally adverb
  • predetrimental adjective
  • undetrimental adjective
  • undetrimentally adverb

Etymology

Origin of detrimental

First recorded in 1650–60; detriment + -al 1

Explanation

Detrimental is a formal way of saying "harmful." Anything detrimental hurts, hinders, or puts a damper on something. Detrimental things do damage. Have you ever heard "Smoking may be detrimental to your health" and wondered what it meant? It means that smoking is bad for your health: it's going to harm you in a bunch of ways. Detrimental is a more official, formal way of talking about things that do harm. A dog who likes digging holes can be detrimental to a garden. If you're writing a paper and want to pick an alternative to harmful that sounds more formal, detrimental is a great choice.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing detrimental

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.

“The March jobs data do not capture the detrimental ways in which the conflict in Iran will continue to affect the construction industry,” said Anirban Basu, chief economist at ABC.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

“We’re seeing the impacts of dust events and proximity to the sea as being detrimental to children’s lung development.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

“This, of course, could be detrimental, especially if applied in the wrong context.”

From Slate • Mar. 29, 2026

Attempting to time market movements is difficult and detrimental; missing the best 10 days of a rally can reduce returns by a quarter.

From Barron's • Mar. 11, 2026

Have we fallen into a mesmerized state that makes us accept as inevitable that which is inferior or detrimental, as though having lost the will or the vision to demand that which is good?

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson