Meanings
comparative more prejudicial · superlative most prejudicial · alternative obsolete prejudical · alternative obsolete prejudicall
- 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 2Antonyms: nonprejudicial
- 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 BridleSynonyms: harmful, damaging, deleterious, detrimental, hurtful, inimical, injurious, mischievous
- 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 109Antonyms: 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.
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
- Medieval Latinprēiūdiciālis
- Old Frenchprejudicial
- Middle Englishprejudiceele
- Englishprejudicial
From Middle English prejudiceele, prejudicial, prejudiciall, prejudiciel, prejudiciell, prejudycyall, from Old French prejudicial, prejudiciel and Medieval Latin prēiūdiciālis.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Medieval Latin
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
Cite this entry
prejudicial. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/prejudicial
“prejudicial.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/prejudicial. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “prejudicial,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/prejudicial.
Source: prejudicial on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.