detriment

noun

det·​ri·​ment ˈde-trə-mənt How to pronounce detriment (audio)
1
: injury, damage
did hard work without detriment to his health
2
: a cause of injury or damage
a detriment to progress

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Genesis doesn’t do itself any justice with its vehicles’ simple names; with choice of G80 perhaps even a detriment to sales. James Raia, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024 This time, being a big, burly lad is a detriment, especially given that Bananas barely comes up to his shoulders. Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2024 However, an overloaded menu can actually be a detriment to your business by: • Overwhelming and confusing customers, possibly giving the impression that your offerings are mediocre. Shaun Lewis, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024 Most, like Asus and MSI, are relying on Windows, and that’s a detriment to the entire ecosystem. Eric Ravenscraft, WIRED, 31 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for detriment 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Latin dētrīmentum "reduction in quantity, diminishment, harm, damage," from dētrī-, variant stem of dēterere "to wear away, rub off, lessen, impair" + -mentum -ment — more at detritus

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of detriment was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near detriment

Cite this Entry

“Detriment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/detriment. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

detriment

noun
det·​ri·​ment ˈde-trə-mənt How to pronounce detriment (audio)
: injury or damage or its cause

Legal Definition

detriment

noun
det·​ri·​ment ˈde-trə-mənt How to pronounce detriment (audio)
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 adjective
detrimentally adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on detriment

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