detrimental

comparative more detrimental · superlative most detrimental

1. Causing damage or harm.

   Smoking tobacco can be detrimental to your health.

   3 more examples

   "The fact is," continued he, "Lady Anne fears that my visits here may prove detrimental to what she considers your best interests. I thought myself an old, safe friend; but, as that cannot be explained to every body, she fears that I may keep off other and more eligible lovers."

   1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “(please specify the page)”, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, →OCLC, pages 142–143

   It agrees that redundant services should not be continued but is not unmindful of the fact that too much retrenchment of rail services now may ultimately prove detrimental to the economy of the country.

   1955 June, “Notes and News: Redundant Branches and Stations”, in Railway Magazine, page 434

   Decisions made at the DfT inevitably reflect a London-centric experience, with a comparison being made with the closure of ticket offices throughout the London Underground network. This is not judged to have been detrimental, but there is a simple zonal fares system that is hardly comparable with the range of ticket types used on the national rail network.

   2023 July 26, 'Industry Insider', “Ticket offices RIP?”, in RAIL, number 988, page 68

   Synonyms: harmful, damaging, injurious, harmful, damaging, deleterious, hurtful, inimical · Antonyms: beneficial

plural detrimentals

1. Anything harmful.

   I'm afraid it may be the detrimentals, the poets, and æsthetes, and impressionist painters, who will rave about her.

   2022, M. E. Braddon, Beyond These Voices

   1 more example

   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.

   2012, Dr. Frank Springob, Bugs in My Brain, Poison on My Plate, page 137