detrimental
/ˌdɛtɹɪˈmɛntəl/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: detrimentals
Sense 1
Meaning · English
Causing damage or harm.
Adjective
Examples
Smoking tobacco can be detrimental to your health.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
Anything harmful.
Noun
Examples
The definition of a parasite is a microbe that lives in you or on you to its benefit and to your detriment. In other words, the detrimentals suck the life out of you.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “detrimental” mean?
Causing damage or harm.
Is “detrimental” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.