All words

detrimental

Meaning

Tending to cause damage or injury.

Examples by difficulty

Basic: Simple, everyday vocabulary — the easiest to read.

Smoking near children is clearly detrimental to their health. The smoke fills the air and makes it hard for them to breathe. Over time, it can cause problems with their lungs. Parents should know that smoking around kids is obviously harmful and damaging.

He knew skipping school would be detrimental. His grades were already dropping, and missing more classes would make things even worse. His parents would be so angry, and he'd fall further behind in his studies, which was obviously harmful.

His constant late-night drinking was becoming detrimental to his job performance. Every morning he stumbled in looking exhausted, and his boss had started giving him warning looks. If he didn't change soon, he knew he'd lose the one steady work opportunity he had left.

Jerry tried to train his goldfish to fetch sticks, but this was highly detrimental to their health. Instead of becoming little athletes, the fish just looked confused and started hiding. Jerry quickly learned that some ideas are obviously harmful, especially for pets without arms.

The toddler's attempt at redecorating with spaghetti was obviously harmful. Red sauce was dripping from the ceiling fan, a truly detrimental mess. His happy gurgles, however, made the sticky, tomato-y disaster strangely funny.

Normal: Standard, everyday language.

Eating too much sugar can have detrimental effects on your health, leading to weight gain and increased risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes. It's important to be mindful of the amount of sugar you consume to avoid these harmful consequences.

Dr. Anderson warned his patients that excessive sugar consumption could be detrimental to their health. He explained that consuming sugary foods on a regular basis could lead to tooth decay, weight gain, and an increased risk of heart disease.

The house stood silent and still, shrouded in darkness. The air was thick with the stench of decay, the walls coated in a slimy substance that seemed to pulsate with a sickly green light. Every step forward felt like a plunge into a pit of despair, the oppressive atmosphere suffocating any semblance of hope. It was clear that something detrimental lurked within these walls, something ancient and malevolent that fed on fear and despair. As the shadows closed in around them, the realization dawned on the group that they were not alone, and that they were in grave danger.

The parasite had a detrimental effect on its host, slowly consuming it from the inside out. Its tiny tendrils wormed their way into the creature's flesh, sapping its strength and vitality. The host withered and weakened as the parasite grew, its body a living testament to the harmful consequences of its unwelcome guest.

The wizard warned the young apprentice, "Using dark magic may seem powerful, but it can have detrimental effects on your soul. It will corrupt you from within, twisting your thoughts and desires until you are no longer yourself." The apprentice hesitated, unsure of the consequences of dabbling in such dangerous spells. She could see the fear in the wizard's eyes, a warning of the potential harm that could befall her if she continued down this path. In the end, she decided to heed his advice, knowing that the detrimental effects of dark magic were not worth the temporary power it offered.

Advanced: Richer vocabulary that stretches an upper-level reader.

Not getting enough sleep can be detrimental to both your health and your mood. After several nights of little rest, it becomes obvious that your body and mind are struggling. The harmful effects appear in your work, your patience, and even your relationships with others.

The constant arguing was clearly detrimental to their marriage. Every bitter word chipped away at their bond, leaving irreparable damage. He felt the familiar ache of despair growing, realizing how harmful their conflict had become.

Constant criticism from her boss left Sarah feeling defeated. The harsh words were so detrimental to her confidence that she began doubting her skills, making each workday a mental struggle that chipped away at her sense of professional self-worth.

Ignoring the warning labels on potion bottles can be seriously detrimental; just ask my uncle Frank, who sprouted bright pink feathers after sipping “Elixir of Eternal Youth.” The experience was obviously harmful, damaging both his pride and his talent for fitting through standard doorways.

Ignoring the glowing red warnings, Bartholomew enthusiastically guzzled the suspiciously effervescent potion. The immediate, rather spectacular, purple hue of his nose was undoubtedly detrimental, much like his decision to wear a tin foil hat to a lightning storm convention.

Challenging: Rare, high-register vocabulary for serious word lovers.

Leaving food out in the sun for hours was detrimental to our health, as bacteria multiplied quickly and made several people sick. The consequences were obviously harmful, causing discomfort and forcing us to cancel the picnic everyone had anticipated.

The persistent neglect of her health proved immensely detrimental. Ignoring the gnawing fatigue and persistent cough was obviously harmful, leaving her frail and weakened. This damaging oversight threatened her very livelihood, a stark consequence of her inaction.

His incessant drinking had become detrimental to his career, alienating colleagues and eroding his professional reputation. Each missed deadline and slurred conference call pushed him closer to total unemployment, a precipice he could not seem to avoid.

Feeding your pet parrot an exclusive diet of jalapeño-flavored chewing gum proved detrimental; not only did it develop an impressive vocabulary of expletives, but its newfound ability to launch sticky projectiles wreaked havoc, leaving the formerly pristine living room a whimsical battlefield of squawking chaos and globs of fluorescent goo.

Excessive consumption of pickled kumquats proved quite detrimental to Bartholomew's dental enamel, leaving him with a veritable constellation of cavities and a countenance that resembled a startled gargoyle. His egregious gastronomic predilections had, predictably, wrought considerable damage.

Difficulty

Normal — Everyday words worth reinforcing.

Appears in

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