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 Starring actress Brown pushes the emotion hard — to her performance’s melodramatic detriment at points — and kid actor Turnbull matches that energy. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2024 Generally speaking, baby boomer women have been more likely to leave financial decisions to their male spouses, which can be to their detriment later in life. Byalicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2024 There is clear research showing the detriments of smartphones, particularly to adolescents. Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News, 7 Sep. 2024 All in all, Cat Quest III is dumb, but that’s not to its detriment. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for detriment 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'detriment.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 5 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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