¹detrimental

adjective det·ri·men·tal \ˌde-trə-ˈmen-t^əl\

: causing damage or injury

Full Definition of DETRIMENTAL

: obviously harmful : damaging <the detrimental effects of pollution>

— det·ri·men·tal·ly \-t^əl-ē\ adverb

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Examples of DETRIMENTAL

In context, the word “corruption” summarized the opinion (set forth in some of the books mentioned in the review) that, as a general matter, the growing financial dependence of the medical profession on the pharmaceutical industry is profoundly detrimental to sound public, medical, and scientific policy. —New York Review of Books, 12 Feb. 2009
Healthy people can harbor Klebsiella to no detrimental effect; those with debilitating conditions, like liver disease or severe diabetes, or those recovering from major surgery, are most likely to fall ill. —Jerome Groopman, New Yorker, 11 & 18 Aug. 2008
Unfortunately, tourism, along with dynamite fishing and poaching, has proved detrimental to the park's coral reefs, mangrove complexes, coastal wetlands and marine species. —Nature Conservancy Landmarks, Fall 2003
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Origin of DETRIMENTAL

(see detriment)

First Known Use: 1590

Related to DETRIMENTAL

Synonyms: adverse, bad, baleful, baneful, damaging, dangerous, deleterious, harmful, evil, hurtful, ill, injurious, mischievous, nocuous, noxious, pernicious, prejudicial, wicked

Antonyms: anodyne, benign, harmless, hurtless, innocent, innocuous, inoffensive, safe

Synonym Discussion of DETRIMENTAL

pernicious, baneful, noxious, deleterious, detrimental mean exceedingly harmful. pernicious implies irreparable harm done through evil or insidious corrupting or undermining <the claim that pornography has a pernicious effect on society>. baneful implies injury through poisoning or destroying <the baneful notion that discipline destroys creativity>. noxious applies to what is both offensive and injurious to the health of a body or mind <noxious chemical fumes>. deleterious applies to what has an often unsuspected harmful effect <a diet found to have deleterious effects>. detrimental implies obvious harmfulness to something specified <the detrimental effects of excessive drinking>.