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GRE vocabulary

detrimental

adjectiveHigh-frequency wordMore D words

causing harm or damage

Word origin: From Latin detrimentum, loss or damage, from deterere, to wear away.

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In a sentence

Detrimental in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing detrimental in a sentence.

Skipping sleep is detrimental to both memory and mood.

Excessive screen time before bed can be detrimental to the quality of one's sleep.

Synonyms
harmfuldamaginginjurious
Antonyms
beneficialadvantageoushelpful

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Verbal · Sentence Equivalence

The committee dismissed the proposal as blank, pointing out that its projected revenues depended on conditions no economy had ever sustained.

Select the two answers that give the sentence the same meaning. 0 of 2 selected.

Usage & nuance

Using “detrimental” well

Detrimental means harmful and pairs with damaging and injurious. It is slightly formal and often introduces an effect that works against health, interests, or success.

Common questions

Questions about “detrimental”

Detrimental (adjective) means causing harm or damage
Here is detrimental used in an example sentence: "Skipping sleep is detrimental to both memory and mood." Another example: "Excessive screen time before bed can be detrimental to the quality of one's sleep."
Common synonyms for detrimental include harmful, damaging, injurious.
Antonyms of detrimental include beneficial, advantageous, helpful.
Clusters with harmful, damaging, and injurious in Sentence Equivalence. Antonyms beneficial, advantageous, and helpful describe a favorable effect.
Yes. Detrimental is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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