detriment

noun

det·​ri·​ment ˈde-trə-mənt 

1

: injury, damage

did hard work without detriment to his health

2

: a cause of injury or damage

a detriment to progress

Synonyms

• affliction
• damage
• harm
• hurt
• injury

Examples of detriment in a Sentence

opponents of casino gambling claim that it is a detriment to society at large

the requirement that runners wear shoes for the race worked to his detriment since he was used to running barefoot

Recent Examples on the Web

Documents show government officials in the 20th century came to view the Native presence on the river as a detriment to the government’s own plans for hydropower – and harmful to the fish themselves. —Tony Schick, ProPublica, 25 June 2024

The show will highlight Dexter (Patrick Gibson) and his dad Harry developing a system to find people who are a detriment to society so Dexter can kill them without law enforcement finding out, according to the synopsis. —Liza Esquibias, Peoplemag, 21 June 2024

One of the detriments of the extra moisture is the additional growth from invasive grasses in between the Joshua trees that serve as fuel when a wildfire sparks, Cummings said. —Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 14 June 2024

With all due respect, Roundhouse veered away from the shtick of All That, perhaps to its detriment. —Eliot Glazer, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French, from Latin detrimentum, from deterere to wear away, impair, from de- + terere to rub — more at throw entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing detriment

• to one's detriment
• to the detriment of
• without detriment to

Kids Definition

detriment

noun

det·​ri·​ment ˈde-trə-mənt 

: injury or damage or its cause

Legal Definition

detriment

noun

det·​ri·​ment ˈde-trə-mənt 

1

: injury, loss

also : the cause of an injury or loss

2

: a giving up of a thing or mode of conduct to which one is entitled that constitutes consideration for a contract

called also legal detriment

detrimental

ˌde-trə-ˈmen-təl 

adjective

detrimentally adverb