prejudicial

adjective

prej·​u·​di·​cial ˌpre-jə-ˈdi-shəl How to pronounce prejudicial (audio)
1
: tending to injure or impair : detrimental
a transfer prejudicial to other creditors
2
: leading to premature judgment or unwarranted opinion
prejudicial evidence
prejudicially adverb
prejudicialness noun

Examples of prejudicial in a Sentence

The judge ruled that the prejudicial effect of the evidence outweighed its value. pretrial publicity that may be extremely prejudicial to a defendant's right to a fair trial
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In their motion, though, prosecutors said questions about the suspension would amount to a highly prejudicial fishing expedition unrelated to the charges Urbina faces. Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025 Innocent passage refers to the right to transit through the territorial sea of another state in a continuous and expeditious manner that must not be prejudicial to the peace, good order, or security of that state, according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025 The Neuroscience Revolution In Leadership Development Neuroscience revolutionized our understanding of bias, revealing that prejudicial responses involve specific, measurable brain networks. Anna Barnhill, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025 In 2024, the judge agreed to move the trial out of Latah County, where the University of Idaho is located, to Boise, as part of an effort to diminish the possibility of a prejudicial jury. Rolling Stone, 23 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for prejudicial

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of prejudicial was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Prejudicial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prejudicial. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

prejudicial

adjective
prej·​u·​di·​cial ˌprej-ə-ˈdish-əl How to pronounce prejudicial (audio)
: tending to cause damage : detrimental

Legal Definition

prejudicial

adjective
prej·​u·​di·​cial ˌpre-jə-ˈdi-shəl How to pronounce prejudicial (audio)
: having the effect of prejudice: as
a
: tending to injure or impair rights
such a transfer would be prejudicial to other creditors
b
: leading to a decision or judgment on an improper basis
the evidence was excluded because it was more prejudicial than probative

More from Merriam-Webster on prejudicial

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