prejudicial

P3R1E1J8U1D2I1C3I1A1L1
UK/ˌprɛdʒʊˈdɪʃl/

adjective

Exhibiting prejudice or bias.

Less commonScrabble 23

Meanings

adjectiveprejudicial (comparative more prejudicial, superlative most prejudicial)

comparative more prejudicial · superlative most prejudicial · alternative obsolete prejudical · alternative obsolete prejudicall

  1. Exhibiting prejudice or bias.

    I must believe that the absence of specific language in our Policy Book with respect to sexual preferences cannot be construed as encouragement to prejudicial behavior or treatment.

    1978 December 9, J. T. Harris, quotee, “Polaroid Gay Workers”, in Gay Community News, volume 6, number 20, page 2

    Antonyms: nonprejudicial

  2. Causing harm or injury; detrimental, harmful or injurious.

    Were I to give you money, for whatever reason, it would be extremely prejudicial to your chances in court if you were unfortunate enough to appear there.

    2011, Minette Walters, The Scold's Bridle

    Synonyms: harmful, damaging, deleterious, detrimental, hurtful, inimical, injurious, mischievous

  3. lawTending to convince based on past history rather than on evidence about the case at hand.

    The judge had granted the DA a one-week extension with the caustic admonition that the case would be summarily dismissed if at that time probative, as opposed to prejudicial, evidence was not produced.

    1999, Dana Stabenow, Hunter's Moon, →ISBN, page 109

    Antonyms: probative

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveExhibiting prejudice or bias.

adjectiveCausing harm or injury; detrimental, harmful or injurious.

adjectiveTending to convince based on past history rather than on evidence about the case at hand.

Opposite

More synonyms by meaning

adjective(sometimes followed by ‘to’) causing harm or injury

adjectivetending to favor preconceived ideas

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Medieval Latinprēiūdiciālis
  2. Old Frenchprejudicial
  3. Middle Englishprejudiceele
  4. Englishprejudicial

From Middle English prejudiceele, prejudicial, prejudiciall, prejudiciel, prejudiciell, prejudycyall, from Old French prejudicial, prejudiciel and Medieval Latin prēiūdiciālis.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian вреден, в ущърб на
  • вреден (vreden)causing harm or injury; detrimental, harmful or injurious
  • в ущърб на (v uštărb na)causing harm or injury; detrimental, harmful or injurious
Finnish syrjivä, vahingollinen
  • syrjiväexhibiting prejudice or bias
  • vahingollinencausing harm or injury; detrimental, harmful or injurious
French avec préjugé, préjudiciable
  • avec préjugéexhibiting prejudice or bias
  • préjudiciablecausing harm or injury; detrimental, harmful or injurious
  • nuisiblecausing harm or injury; detrimental, harmful or injurious
German voreingenommen, abträglich
  • voreingenommenexhibiting prejudice or bias
  • abträglichcausing harm or injury; detrimental, harmful or injurious
Romanian prejudiciabil
  • prejudiciabilcausing harm or injury; detrimental, harmful or injurious
Spanish prejuicioso, perjudicial
  • prejuiciosoexhibiting prejudice or bias
  • perjudicialcausing harm or injury; detrimental, harmful or injurious
Swedish skadlig
  • skadligcausing harm or injury; detrimental, harmful or injurious

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with prejudicial

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

prejudicial. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/prejudicial

MLA

“prejudicial.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/prejudicial. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “prejudicial,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/prejudicial.

Source: prejudicial on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.