as in harmful
causing or capable of causing harm
nicotine has long been recognized as a deleterious substance
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Recent Examples of deleterious
In July of last year Steyer sent out a tweet criticizing rent control for its deleterious and counterproductive effects.
—
Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 1 Mar. 2026
Conversely, cannabis appears to be especially deleterious to the cognitive and psychological well-being of young people.
—Alexander Nazaryan, New Yorker, 29 Jan. 2026
Studies have shown that routine use of AI has a deleterious impact on cognition, creativity, recall, and critical thinking.
—Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 25 Jan. 2026
Virtually no one’s immune from their deleterious effects, since they’re found in a wide variety of everyday products.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deleterious
Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 1 Mar. 2026
Conversely, cannabis appears to be especially deleterious to the cognitive and psychological well-being of young people.
—Alexander Nazaryan, New Yorker, 29 Jan. 2026
Studies have shown that routine use of AI has a deleterious impact on cognition, creativity, recall, and critical thinking.
—Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 25 Jan. 2026
Virtually no one’s immune from their deleterious effects, since they’re found in a wide variety of everyday products.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 11 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deleterious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deleterious
Adjective
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This week, California regulators are taking a critical look at one of the state’s most harmful laws.—
Tom Manzo,
Oc Register,
6 Apr. 2026
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Awareness, not alarm, is a powerful tool for families navigating online spaces where harmful language and intent are often hidden in plain sight.—
Sharlette A. Kellum,
The Conversation,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Red-eared sliders have had a detrimental impact on our native turtle populations.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
7 Apr. 2026
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Researchers are still unsure about how detrimental the blood changes could be to the sharks’ health.—
Devika Rao,
TheWeek,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The most common adverse events were falls and muscle weakness, which overlap with ALS symptoms.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
3 Apr. 2026
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When you're stressed or angry, your cortisol levels rise, which can have adverse effects on your heart, metabolism, and immune system.—
Sharon Basaraba,
Verywell Health,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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On April 4, a cold front heading east will bring risks of hail, heavy rain and damaging winds from Texas to southwestern New York, AccuWeather reported.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
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The tornadoes ranged in intensity from EF-0 to EF-3, damaging or destroying numerous homes and businesses, overturning vehicles and causing widespread power outages.—
Eric Henderson,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The sheriff's office extended condolences to the child's family and loved ones, calling the incident a tragic reminder of how quickly conditions on the water can turn dangerous.—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
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As multiple cities around Jackson County move to ban types of unregulated and potentially dangerous ‘gas station drugs’ — specifically more potent variations of kratom — Lee’s Summit has not only joined the charge but has taken restrictions even further.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deleterious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deleterious. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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