detrimental

adjective

ˌde-trə-ˈmen-tᵊl How to pronounce detrimental (audio)
Definition of detrimentalnext
as in harmful
causing or capable of causing harm there were serious concerns that the factory's waste was detrimental to the local environment

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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detrimental effects
devastating effects
damaging effects
disastrous effects
negative effects
destructive effects
detrimental behavior
harmful behavior
problematic behavior
undesirable behavior
toxic behavior
negative behavior
detrimental substances
dangerous substances
bad substances
terrible substances
harmful substances
troublesome substances
detrimental aspects
adverse aspects
unfavorable aspects
unfortunate aspects
horrible aspects
unpleasant aspects
a detrimental disturbance
a disruptive disturbance
a distressing disturbance
an undesirable disturbance
an adverse disturbance
a considerable disturbance

Synonym Chooser

How is the word detrimental different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of detrimental are baneful, deleterious, noxious, and pernicious. While all these words mean "exceedingly harmful," detrimental implies obvious harmfulness to something specified.

the detrimental effects of excessive drinking

When would baneful be a good substitute for detrimental?

While the synonyms baneful and detrimental are close in meaning, baneful implies injury through poisoning or destroying.

the baneful notion that discipline destroys creativity

Where would deleterious be a reasonable alternative to detrimental?

The meanings of deleterious and detrimental largely overlap; however, deleterious applies to what has an often unsuspected harmful effect.

a diet found to have deleterious effects

When can noxious be used instead of detrimental?

The synonyms noxious and detrimental are sometimes interchangeable, but noxious applies to what is both offensive and injurious to the health of a body or mind.

noxious chemical fumes

When could pernicious be used to replace detrimental?

While in some cases nearly identical to detrimental, pernicious implies irreparable harm done through evil or insidious corrupting or undermining.

the claim that pornography has a pernicious effect on society

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of detrimental Republican lawmakers are starting to urge President Trump to reverse his decisions to pause U.S. military and intelligence assistance to Ukraine, warning that a prolonged stoppage of U.S. help for the war effort would have a seriously detrimental effect. — Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 7 Mar. 2025 The decision to pause and review all military aid, which comes as Trump pushes for peace talks, will be detrimental to Ukraine's ability to defend itself against Russia. — Sareen Habeshian, Axios, 3 Mar. 2025 Get rid of the inefficient, non-essential, economically taxing and detrimental expense who currently lives in the Governor’s Mansion. — Letters To The Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 2 Mar. 2025 This kind of damage can be detrimental by, for instance, increasing the rates of cancer. — Michael Irving, New Atlas, 2 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for detrimental
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detrimental
  1. harmful
  2. damaging
  3. adverse
  4. dangerous
  5. bad
Adjective
  • Scientists have found bits of plastic in the ocean that are coated in communities of microorganisms, including harmful bacteria.5 Jayakrishnan said the microplastics in the body may play a similar role, offering a medium for cancer-causing bacteria to grow and disrupt the gut microbiome.
    — Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Better yet, they can still be used on public lands to sustain local communities in place of harmful industrial extraction.
    — TIME, TIME, 6 Mar. 2025
Definition of harmful
Adjective
  • The cyclone was already bringing heavy rainfall to coastal areas on Saturday, along with damaging winds and storm surges.
    — Hilary Whiteman, CNN, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Tornadoes possible in East The Weather Channel warned that damaging winds and tornadoes were possible all day Wednesday from Pennsylvania to far northern Florida.
    — Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2025
Definition of damaging
Adjective
  • When ingested or inhaled, these microplastics can release these chemicals into the body, potentially leading to adverse health effects.
    — Sheah Rarback, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Research shows that supplementing with 0.14 to 0.36 grams per pound of body weight for up to five years is associated with minimal adverse effects and health risks.
    — Melissa Nieves, Verywell Health, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of adverse
Adjective
  • Part of this season’s focus has been on building his partnership with Murphy, whose primary attacking role is to find Isak in dangerous areas, and encouraging his team-mates to involve the striker whenever possible.
    — Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Paved highways meant dangerous going for horse and rider, and her only mishap of the trip would come at Portland, when Goldie slipped on rain-slick pavement and fell on his rider and broke her leg, resulting in a delay of several weeks.
    — Ben East, Outdoor Life, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of dangerous
Adjective
  • Jayson Tatum kept the Celtics in the game most of the night with 33 points, eight assists and eight rebounds, but Brown had one of his worst games of the year with just 10 points.
    — Jay King, The Athletic, 13 Mar. 2025
  • So first, the argument for not giving President Trump and Elon Musk more power to do more bad, to move money around at will, to shut down more organizations and to give it our vote.
    — Mansee Khurana, NPR, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of bad

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Cite this Entry

“Detrimental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detrimental. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

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