detriment

noun

det·​ri·​ment ˈde-trə-mənt 

1

: injury, damage

did hard work without detriment to their health

He puts all his time into his career to the detriment of [= in a way that is harmful to] his personal life.

2

: a cause of injury or damage

a detriment to progress

Synonyms of detriment

• harm
• damage
• 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

The auto finance veteran's view contrasts with others in the industry who view the longer term loans as a detriment to consumers' pocketbooks. —Michael Wayland, CNBC, 9 May 2026

The Strait of Hormuz is where those trend lines are now colliding – to the detriment of billions of people around the world, and to the idea of an international order based on law rather than the naked exercise of power. —Vivek Krishnamurthy, The Conversation, 5 May 2026

Follow the guidelines of plants that complement each other and those that can cause detriment. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 May 2026

Owner Arte Moreno has been willing to spend money, often to his detriment and that of Angels fans. —Keith Law, New York Times, 4 May 2026

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
• 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