deleterious
Pronunciation: adjective. Synonyms: inimical, adverse, injurious
adjective
Definition of deleterious
having a harmful effect
Synonyms for deleterious
deleterious in a Sentence
- Smoking has a deleterious effect on lung health.
Why deleterious Matters for GRE & SAT
"deleterious" is a adjective that means "having a harmful effect" closely related to words like "inimical", "adverse", "injurious". As a word starting with D, it belongs to a cluster of GRE and SAT vocabulary that test-takers often encounter in Verbal Reasoning, Text Completion, and Reading Comprehension sections.
On the GRE, understanding "deleterious" helps you distinguish between closely related answer choices in Sentence Equivalence questions. On the SAT, recognizing this word in context strengthens your performance on Craft & Structure and Words in Context questions. Seeing how "deleterious" is used in sentences — like the examples above — builds the contextual understanding that standardized tests reward.
Study tip: Start with the definition and part of speech (adjective). Then learn its 3 synonyms to build a word network. Finally, practice with spaced repetition to move "deleterious" into long-term memory.
How to Remember deleterious
One effective way to remember "deleterious" (adjective) is to group it with similar words you already know: "inimical" and "adverse" and "injurious". When you encounter "deleterious" on a test, these synonym connections help you quickly recall its meaning — "having a harmful effect".
Use flashcard apps with spaced repetition to review "deleterious" at increasing intervals until it becomes automatic.
More Vocabulary Words Starting with D
- daunting — scary or frightening; (of a task) seeming impossible
- dawdle — move slowly and without purpose
- dearth — lack of something in a particular area
- dearth — A scarcity or lack of something
- debate — A formal discussion on a particular topic
- debilitate — To make someone weak and infirm
- debilitating — weakening or impairing strength
- debunk — prove a belief or idea false
- debunk — To expose the falseness of a myth or belief
- decade — A period of ten years