det·ri·men·tal
ˌde-trə-ˈmen-tᵊl 
: an undesirable or harmful person or thing
Synonyms
Examples of detrimental in a Sentence
Adjective
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
there were serious concerns that the factory's waste was detrimental to the local environment
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
there were serious concerns that the factory's waste was detrimental to the local environment
Recent Examples on the Web
Mimi Montgomery, Axios, 4 Nov. 2024
Ohio State has already dropped a game this year so another loss could be detrimental to their seeding down the line.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Nov. 2024
Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for detrimental 
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Adjective
Most vapes contain nicotine, which comes from tobacco and can be detrimental to the parts of a young person's brain that oversee learning, attention, impulse control and mood.
—Mimi Montgomery, Axios, 4 Nov. 2024
Ohio State has already dropped a game this year so another loss could be detrimental to their seeding down the line.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Nov. 2024
Noun
Advertisement But cremation is also an environmental nightmare, requiring huge amounts of energy to incinerate bodies into a highly alkaline and salty ash detrimental to plants and soil in concentrated amounts.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for detrimental
Dictionary Entries Near detrimental
Cite this Entry
“Detrimental.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detrimental. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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