Detrimental
mediumdet-ruh-MEN-tul
adjective
Definition
Tending to cause harm; damaging
Examples
“Excessive screen time can be detrimental to children's development.”
“The policy change proved detrimental to small businesses.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Categories
GRE Tip
Detrimental is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "harmful" or "injurious" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "beneficial".
Related GRE Words
injurious
Causing or likely to cause damage or harm
deleterious
Causing harm or damage; injurious
adverse
Preventing success or development; harmful or unfavorable
noxious
Harmful, poisonous, or very unpleasant
baneful
Causing harm or ruin; pernicious; destructive
destructive
Causing great damage or harm; highly damaging
Master detrimental and 800+ GRE words
Learn through stories, practice with real GRE questions, and never forget with spaced repetition.