DETRIMENTAL Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'detrimental' different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of detrimental are baneful , deleterious , noxious , and pernicious . While all these words mean "exceedingly harmful," detrimental implies obvious harmfulness to something specified. // the detrimental effects of excessive drinking

Q: When would 'baneful' be a good substitute for 'detrimental'?

While the synonyms baneful and detrimental are close in meaning, baneful implies injury through poisoning or destroying. // the baneful notion that discipline destroys creativity

Q: Where would 'deleterious' be a reasonable alternative to 'detrimental'?

The meanings of deleterious and detrimental largely overlap; however, deleterious applies to what has an often unsuspected harmful effect. // a diet found to have deleterious effects

Q: When can 'noxious' be used instead of 'detrimental'?

The synonyms noxious and detrimental are sometimes interchangeable, but noxious applies to what is both offensive and injurious to the health of a body or mind. // noxious chemical fumes

Q: When could 'pernicious' be used to replace 'detrimental'?

While in some cases nearly identical to detrimental , pernicious implies irreparable harm done through evil or insidious corrupting or undermining. // the claim that pornography has a pernicious effect on society

detrimental

adjective

ˌde-trə-ˈmen-tᵊl

Definition of detrimental

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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How is the word detrimental different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of detrimental are baneful, deleterious, noxious, and pernicious. While all these words mean "exceedingly harmful," detrimental implies obvious harmfulness to something specified.

the detrimental effects of excessive drinking

When would baneful be a good substitute for detrimental?

While the synonyms baneful and detrimental are close in meaning, baneful implies injury through poisoning or destroying.

the baneful notion that discipline destroys creativity

Where would deleterious be a reasonable alternative to detrimental?

The meanings of deleterious and detrimental largely overlap; however, deleterious applies to what has an often unsuspected harmful effect.

a diet found to have deleterious effects

When can noxious be used instead of detrimental?

The synonyms noxious and detrimental are sometimes interchangeable, but noxious applies to what is both offensive and injurious to the health of a body or mind.

noxious chemical fumes

When could pernicious be used to replace detrimental?

While in some cases nearly identical to detrimental, pernicious implies irreparable harm done through evil or insidious corrupting or undermining.

the claim that pornography has a pernicious effect on society

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of detrimental Shown the door Blocking is when an administrator determines that a user is so detrimental to the project that they must be prevented from making any further edits. — Ryan McGrady, The Conversation, 25 June 2026 Meanwhile, Democrats insisted on extending the premium tax credits as part of a bill to end the shutdown, warning that their expiration could be detrimental for millions of American families. — Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 29 June 2026 Substance abuse is greatly detrimental in its own right, of course, but sometimes the issues that stem from it—stress, emotional exhaustion, secrecy, avoidance—can have similarly devastating long-term effects on a person’s wellbeing. — Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 29 June 2026 There’s also the thought that onboarding a starting catcher midseason can be detrimental to a pitching staff, something that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has expressed in the past. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 22 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for detrimental

Recent Examples of Synonyms for detrimental

Adjective

Nevertheless, there are several measures that gardeners can take to keep themselves, their children, plants and produce safe from potentially harmful contaminants stemming from the fire.

— Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Advertisement If sleep deprivation is harmful, do studies where people are asked to sleep longer show a beneficial effect?

— Veronique Greenwood, Time, 8 July 2026

Definition of harmful

Adjective

Of all the bad policy coming out from Washington today, the CCCA may be the most damaging to their day-to-day survival.

— Raquel Mitchell, Boston Herald, 8 July 2026
The optics have been particularly damaging for the country’s image within the global mining industry.

— Alexis Akwagyiram, semafor.com, 8 July 2026

Definition of damaging

Adjective

These conditions can increase your vulnerability to adverse effects from poor air quality.

— Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 4 July 2026
Valentine also testified that the FDA encourages infant formula companies to send in all adverse event reports and that nothing prevented Mead Johnson from doing so.

— David Hilzenrath, USA Today, 2 July 2026

Definition of adverse

Adjective

Teri handled higher-value finds and saw that potentially dangerous items – like firearms and knives – got to the local sheriff’s office.

— Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
Looking back through the sequence, Brazil have good numbers back and there is little need for anyone to overcommit — but a lazy tackle from behind leads to a free kick in a dangerous area.

— Mark Carey, New York Times, 6 July 2026

Definition of dangerous

Adjective

That if you were deemed, as an enslaved person, if you were deemed troublesome or in some way unwanted, you would literally be sold down the river from the more northern states to the deeper south where you would potentially be treated even worse.

— Dana Taylor, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Offer Real Value, Not Leftovers Most product bundles fail not because the idea is bad but because the execution misses what consumers actually want.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

Definition of bad

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“Detrimental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/detrimental. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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