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Definition of detriment

detriment

/ˈdɛt.ɹɪ.mənt/
det · ri · ment
Adverb:detrimentally
•
Plural:detriments
•
Adjective:detrimental
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detriment Lexical Profile

detriment Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

The state of being harmed, damaged, or disadvantaged.

Example

"He worked long hours at the office, often to the detriment of his personal health."

2

A cause of harm, damage, or disadvantage.

Example

"A lack of affordable public transit remains a major detriment to the city's economic growth."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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Word Nuance & Usage

"Detriment" is most frequently used in the prepositional phrase "to the detriment of" to indicate that an action causes harm or disadvantage to someone or something else.

• Nearby Words

detoxify
detract
detractor
detriment
detrimental
detrimentally
detritus

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Old French detriment, from Latin detrimentum ("a rubbing off, loss, damage"), derived from deterere ("to wear away"), from de- ("away") and terere ("to rub").

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Detriment. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/detriment
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