disservice

noun

dis·​ser·​vice (ˌ)di(s)-ˈsər-vəs 

: ill service : harm

also : an unhelpful, unkind, or harmful act

misinformation that does a disservice to readers

Synonyms

• inequity
• injury
• injustice
• raw deal
• shaft
• unfairness
• unjustness
• wrong

Examples of disservice in a Sentence

Her comments were a disservice to those volunteers.

you do a great disservice to the professionals at the day-care center when you refer to them as “babysitters”

Recent Examples on the Web

The leaky membrane that Trump has established between law enforcement and his own agenda does a disservice to the officers, many of whom are simply trying to do their jobs. —Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 17 June 2025

Gameplay: Exciting Ninja Action To call Shinobi: Art of Vengeance a simple platformer would do it a disservice, because there's a lot more going on than just pushing forward and mashing buttons. —Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 14 June 2025

At the same time, labeling the Pacers as the Team of Destiny actually does them a disservice. —Shane Young, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025

Don’t do yourself a disservice and make the West Indies right before guests arrive. —Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 26 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for disservice

• preservice
• interservice
• nervous
• nervus

Kids Definition

disservice

noun

dis·​ser·​vice (ˈ)dis-ˈ(s)ər-vəs 

: an unhelpful, unkind, or harmful act

behavior that did a disservice to the sport