det·ri·men·tal
ˌde-trə-ˈmen-tᵊl 
: an undesirable or harmful person or thing
Examples of detrimental in a Sentence
Adjective
In context, the word "corruption" summarized the opinion (set forth in some of the books mentioned in the review) that, as a general matter, the growing financial dependence of the medical profession on the pharmaceutical industry is profoundly detrimental to sound public, medical, and scientific policy.
—
New York Review of Books, 12 Feb. 2009
Healthy people can harbor Klebsiella to no detrimental effect; those with debilitating conditions, like liver disease or severe diabetes, or those recovering from major surgery, are most likely to fall ill.
—Jerome Groopman, New Yorker, 11 & 18 Aug. 2008
Unfortunately, tourism, along with dynamite fishing and poaching, has proved detrimental to the park's coral reefs, mangrove complexes, coastal wetlands and marine species.
—Nature Conservancy Landmarks, Fall 2003
there were serious concerns that the factory's waste was detrimental to the local environment
New York Review of Books, 12 Feb. 2009
Healthy people can harbor Klebsiella to no detrimental effect; those with debilitating conditions, like liver disease or severe diabetes, or those recovering from major surgery, are most likely to fall ill.
—Jerome Groopman, New Yorker, 11 & 18 Aug. 2008
Unfortunately, tourism, along with dynamite fishing and poaching, has proved detrimental to the park's coral reefs, mangrove complexes, coastal wetlands and marine species.
—Nature Conservancy Landmarks, Fall 2003
there were serious concerns that the factory's waste was detrimental to the local environment
Recent Examples on the Web
Deepa Shivaram, NPR, 30 Oct. 2025
For the first time ever, according to researchers in England, the flavanols in cocoa have been found to block its detrimental effects on blood vessels.
—New Atlas, 29 Oct. 2025
Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for detrimental
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Adjective
The pause thus far has been detrimental to farmers.
—Deepa Shivaram, NPR, 30 Oct. 2025
For the first time ever, according to researchers in England, the flavanols in cocoa have been found to block its detrimental effects on blood vessels.
—New Atlas, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
Advertisement But cremation is also an environmental nightmare, requiring huge amounts of energy to incinerate bodies into a highly alkaline and salty ash detrimental to plants and soil in concentrated amounts.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for detrimental
Cite this Entry
“Detrimental.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detrimental. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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