detrimental
An action or situation that's detrimental does some kind of harm, like breaking a bone. It can also describe something that has negative effects over time.
Detrimental often shows up when we talk about things affecting people's health, relationships, or environment. For example, smoking is considered detrimental to your lungs and overall well-being. If someone says that social media use is detrimental to mental health, they mean it's bad for our minds. Even with objects, like a car seat that isn't installed correctly – being used in that way can be detrimental to the child's safety.
How common is "detrimental"?
Word detrimental is considered rare in modern English.
It appears most frequently in academic texts and less often in other writings.
It appears most frequently in academic texts and less often in other writings.
Definitions
adjective
Causing damage or harm.
Example: Smoking tobacco can be detrimental to your health.
Real examples of "detrimental" in context
