prejudicial to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "prejudicial to" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe an action, attitude, or situation that causes harm or has a negative effect on something or someone. Example sentence: The company's decision to terminate the employee was prejudicial to her reputation.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"We are not doing anything that is prejudicial to families".

The New York Times

Charged with "communicating false statements prejudicial to the state", he was released 24 hours later.

The Economist

None of this was thought strange or, in the end, prejudicial to the trial.

The Economist

The companies said, "We are concerned this may be prejudicial to our forthcoming appeal".

The New York Times

"Such an outcome would be extraordinarily prejudicial to the creditors" of the Madoff company's estate.

The New York Times

We need an appropriate selection policy that cannot be prejudicial to individual athletes".

Independent

It also ruled it was prejudicial to try the two together.

The New York Times

But it's certainly prejudicial to say so in a court report.

The Guardian

Not be prejudicial to the image or reputation of GNM or its publications.

The Guardian

"No one has said anything unkind or prejudicial to you, Alonzo, I hope," he said.

The New Yorker

The manifesto does not say it is prejudicial to challenge belief systems.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Reserve this phrase for situations where the harm involves a systemic bias or an unfair disadvantage, rather than just physical damage

Common error

Do not use "prejudicial to" when you mean a person is "prejudiced against" a group. "Prejudicial to" describes the effect of an action on a situation (e.g., "prejudicial to a fair trial"), whereas "prejudiced against" describes a person's internal attitude.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "prejudicial to" functions as an adjective phrase where the adjective "prejudicial" is followed by the preposition "to". In sentences provided by Ludwig, it often acts as a subject complement (e.g., "this is prejudicial to the process") or modifies a noun to describe a harmful relationship. Ludwig AI confirms its status as correct and highly usable in formal writing.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

15%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "prejudicial to" is a robust and sophisticated phrase used to denote harm or unfair bias. Ludwig AI identifies it as a correct and highly frequent term in Formal and News registers. While often appearing in legal contexts (such as being "prejudicial to" a fair trial), it also appears in scientific literature to describe negative effects on experimental results. Writers should favor it when they need to describe a systemic or procedural disadvantage, but they should be careful not to confuse it with the personal attribute of being "prejudiced against" someone. Alternatives like "detrimental to" or "harmful to" may be used for a more general audience, but "prejudicial to" remains the standard for precise, high-stakes communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

detrimental to

Shifts the focus to a general harmful effect or damage

harmful to

A more common and less formal alternative for general negative impact

damaging to

Emphasizes the resulting impairment or loss of value

adverse to

Suggests something that is contrary or unfavorable

inimical to

Higher formal register often used in academic or literary contexts

injurious to

Often used in legal or health contexts to denote physical or systemic harm

disadvantageous to

Focuses on the loss of benefit or competitive edge

deleterious to

Technical or scientific term for something that causes slow or hidden harm

biased against

Specifically targets the concept of unfair prejudice or lack of neutrality

counterproductive to

Implies that the action works against a specific goal or intended result

FAQs

How do I use "prejudicial to" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe something that causes harm or unfairness, such as: "The leak was "prejudicial to" the ongoing investigation".

What can I say instead of "prejudicial to"?

Depending on the context, you might use "detrimental to", "harmful to" or "damaging to".

Is it correct to say "prejudiced to"?

No, if you are describing a negative effect, the correct phrase is ""prejudicial to"". If you are describing someone with a bias, use "prejudiced against".

What is the difference between "prejudicial to" and "detrimental to"?

""prejudicial to"" often implies a legal or procedural unfairness, while "detrimental to" is a broader term for anything that causes general harm or damage.