- when postpositive, followed by to: harmful; injurious; prejudicial: smoking is detrimental to health
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
det•ri•ment•al /ˌdɛtrəˈmɛntəl/USA pronunciation adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- harmful or damaging:That mistake was detrimental to her career.
det•ri•men•tal
(de′trə men′tl),USA pronunciation adj.
n.
det′ri•men•tal′i•ty, det′ri•men′tal•ness, n.
det′ri•men′tal•ly, adv.
- causing detriment;
damaging;
harmful.
n.
- a detrimental person or thing.
- detriment + -al1 1650–60
det′ri•men′tal•ly, adv.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
detrimental /ˌdɛtrɪˈmɛntəl/ adj
'detrimental' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
disadvantageous
- minus
- prejudicial
- unwholesome
- abstentionism
- alkali
- antisocial
- bad
- baleful
- cure
- disfavor
- face
- fault
- fly
- harmful
- impunity
- injurious
- noxious
- pernicious
- wart
- set
- side effect
- social evil
- sweetheart contract
- symbiosis