While both "harmful" and "detrimental" describe something that causes damage or negative consequences, there's a subtle difference in their usage and the strength of the negative impact they suggest. "Harmful" generally refers to something that causes physical or emotional damage, often directly and immediately. Think of things that are dangerous or can cause injury. "Detrimental," on the other hand, often implies a more gradual and potentially more significant negative effect, something that causes damage over time or undermines something's success. It suggests a more serious and long-lasting consequence.
Here are some example sentences to illustrate the difference:
Harmful: "That chemical is harmful to the environment." (Meaning: The chemical directly damages the environment.) Translation: This sentence means the chemical directly causes damage to the environment.
Harmful: "Those words were harmful to her feelings." (Meaning: The words directly hurt her emotions.) Translation: This sentence explains that the words directly caused emotional pain.
Detrimental: "Excessive screen time can be detrimental to a teenager's development." (Meaning: Spending too much time on screens has a negative impact over time.) Translation: This sentence means spending too much time on screens negatively impacts development over time.
Detrimental: "The scandal was detrimental to his political career." (Meaning: The scandal caused significant long-term damage to his career.) Translation: This sentence shows that the scandal seriously damaged his career in the long run.
Notice that both words can be used to describe negative impacts, but "detrimental" often implies a greater, more long-lasting, and potentially more profound consequence than "harmful." You'll often see "detrimental" used with abstract nouns and concepts.
Happy learning!