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

Hacks has often followed the beats of a romantic comedy, sometimes to its detriment. —Judy Berman, Time, 29 May 2026

They are thus incentivized to play in games when perhaps not fully healthy, a detriment to their team and the overall NBA product. —Tony East, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026

Though perhaps not quite as much as the producers, who have over-relied on us to the detriment of the integrity of their shows. —Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 28 May 2026

Unfortunately, with how transient college athletes are now, these cupcake performances can come at a detriment to the program, as Knight would end up transferring following the firing of Auburn coach Hugh Freeze at the end of the 2025 season. —Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 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