PREJUDICIAL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does prejudicial mean? 

• PREJUDICIAL (adjective)
  The adjective PREJUDICIAL has 2 senses:

1. (sometimes followed by 'to') causing harm or injury

2. tending to favor preconceived ideas

  Familiarity information: PREJUDICIAL used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PREJUDICIAL (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(sometimes followed by 'to') causing harm or injury

Synonyms:

damaging; detrimental; prejudicial; prejudicious

Context example:

the reporter's coverage resulted in prejudicial publicity for the defendant

Similar:

harmful (causing or capable of causing harm)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Tending to favor preconceived ideas

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Synonyms:

prejudicial; prejudicious

Context example:

the presence of discriminatory or prejudicial attitudes in the white population

Pertainym:

prejudice (a partiality that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation)

Derivation:

prejudice (a partiality that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation)

 Context examples 

He said, he knew no reason why those, who entertain opinions prejudicial to the public, should be obliged to change, or should not be obliged to conceal them.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

I fear that the incident must have a very prejudicial effect upon his career.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)