as in harmful
causing or capable of causing harm
there were serious concerns that the factory's waste was detrimental to the local environment
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Recent Examples of detrimental
These findings are consistent with previous experiments that have found Martian regolith to be detrimental to active cells.
—
Keith Cooper, Space.com, 4 Mar. 2026
Counter to the notion that a focus on caste and community is insular and, therefore, detrimental to business, Jayaraman embraces his heritage with a certain chutzpah and a largesse that makes customers return with their friends and family.
—Kalpana Mohan, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026
Lower dosages of oncology drugs, when supported by high quality clinical data, could have a major impact on the quality of life of patients undergoing treatment without any detrimental effect on survival — while also reducing costs for patients and taxpayers.
—Mark J. Ratain, STAT, 3 Mar. 2026
In fact, experts say this method can have detrimental (even near-disastrous) results.
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detrimental
Keith Cooper, Space.com, 4 Mar. 2026
Counter to the notion that a focus on caste and community is insular and, therefore, detrimental to business, Jayaraman embraces his heritage with a certain chutzpah and a largesse that makes customers return with their friends and family.
—Kalpana Mohan, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026
Lower dosages of oncology drugs, when supported by high quality clinical data, could have a major impact on the quality of life of patients undergoing treatment without any detrimental effect on survival — while also reducing costs for patients and taxpayers.
—Mark J. Ratain, STAT, 3 Mar. 2026
In fact, experts say this method can have detrimental (even near-disastrous) results.
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for detrimental
Recent Examples of Synonyms for detrimental
Adjective
-
When asked about Trump’s immigration policies — which have been controversial and are viewed by some Venezuelan residents as harmful to their community — Rodriguez first expressed support.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
-
As these processes unfold, the nuclear pore is also blocking things that don’t belong, such as harmful enzymes or misfolded RNAs.—
Yasemin Saplakoglu,
Quanta Magazine,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The western half of the country spent the winter baking—nine states had their hottest winter ever and five their second-hottest—which worsened drought conditions and has raised the risks of damaging wildfires come spring and summer.—
Andrea Thompson,
Scientific American,
13 Mar. 2026
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The potential storms could bring more damaging winds and heavy rain, the weather service said, with a slight chance for tornadoes to develop.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Honeycutt noted that the executive order came just days before the House Agriculture Committee was considering a five-year farm bill that would shield manufacturers from litigation related to adverse health impacts when the chemicals are used in accordance with federal law.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
14 Mar. 2026
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Short-term exposure by inhalation can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue respiratory irritation and other adverse health effects, according to the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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That $67 ticket informed me that the airline was selling seats to fill planes and slashing staff and services to dangerous levels.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
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But the industry’s modern threats, while not wholly unprecedented, are dangerous in ways that are genuinely alarming.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The Knicks were held to less than 100 points for only the seventh time and had their fourth-worst three-point shooting performance of the season, going eight for 34.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
The Pacers have the second-worst record in the NBA, 1 ½ games better than Sacramento.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Detrimental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detrimental. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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