detriment

noun

det·​ri·​ment ˈde-trə-mənt 

1

: injury, damage

did hard work without detriment to his health

2

: a cause of injury or damage

a detriment to progress

Synonyms

• affliction
• damage
• harm
• hurt
• injury

Examples of detriment in a Sentence

opponents of casino gambling claim that it is a detriment to society at large

the requirement that runners wear shoes for the race worked to his detriment since he was used to running barefoot

Recent Examples on the Web

Starting with your celestial ruler, Venus, entering Aries on Feb. 4 — a sign where the love planet is in detriment — its journey through your introspective 12th house forces you to face emotional baggage and unconscious relationship patterns holding you back. —Valerie Mesa, People.com, 5 Feb. 2025

Honan believes Adams’s association with Trump, which could grow with a pardon from him, is a detriment to him in the race. —Ross O'Keefe, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 3 Feb. 2025

That both share so much ice together and struggle heavily without the other is a detriment to their cases, though. —Dom Luszczyszyn, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025

But Campbell loves to roll the dice, sometimes to his detriment (see: 2024 NFC Championship). —Matt Schubert, The Denver Post, 6 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Latin dētrīmentum "reduction in quantity, diminishment, harm, damage," from dētrī-, variant stem of dēterere "to wear away, rub off, lessen, impair" + -mentum -ment — more at detritus

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing detriment

• to one's detriment
• to the detriment of
• without detriment to

Kids Definition

detriment

noun

det·​ri·​ment ˈde-trə-mənt 

: injury or damage or its cause

Legal Definition

detriment

noun

det·​ri·​ment ˈde-trə-mənt 

1

: injury, loss

also : the cause of an injury or loss

2

: a giving up of a thing or mode of conduct to which one is entitled that constitutes consideration for a contract

called also legal detriment

detrimental

ˌde-trə-ˈmen-təl 

adjective

detrimentally adverb