detrimental

/,detri'mentl/

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Sure! Let's break down the word "detrimental" in a way that's easy to understand.

Definition:

Detrimental is an adjective that means something causes harm or damage. It is often used to describe things that can negatively affect someone or something.

Usage Instructions:

• You can use "detrimental" when you want to say that something is bad for someone or something else.
• It is often followed by "to" when you specify what is being harmed (e.g., "detrimental to health").

Examples:

1. Basic Example: "Smoking is detrimental to your health."
   (This means that smoking harms your health.)

2. Advanced Example: "The new policy could be detrimental to the company's reputation."
   (Here, it suggests that the policy may damage how people view the company.)

Word Variants:

• Detriment (noun): The harm or damage itself.
  • Example: "The detriment caused by pollution is severe."
• Detrimentally (adverb): In a way that causes harm.
  • Example: "The changes in the environment have affected wildlife detrimentally."

Different Meanings:

While "detrimental" primarily means causing harm, it can sometimes be used in specific contexts (like legal or health discussions) to emphasize the negative consequences of actions or decisions.

Synonyms:

Here are some words that mean the same or similar to "detrimental": - Harmful - Damaging - Injurious - Adverse - Unfavorable

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

There aren’t specific idioms or phrasal verbs that directly include "detrimental," but you can use phrases like: - "Take a toll on" (This phrase means something is having a negative effect on someone or something). - Example: "Stress can take a toll on your mental health."

Summary:

In summary, "detrimental" is a word you can use to talk about things that cause harm or damage.

Academic

Adjective

1. (sometimes followed by `to') causing harm or injury
   • damaging to career and reputation
   • the reporter's coverage resulted in prejudicial publicity for the defendant

Synonyms

• damaging
• prejudicial
• prejudicious