prejudicial to

Meaning

Causing harm, damage, or disadvantage to someone's interests, rights, or a legal case. In business and law, it is used formally to describe actions, behaviors, or disclosures that undermine a company's position, reputation, or legal standing.

Examples

• Disclosing these confidential financial figures would be highly prejudicial to our ongoing merger negotiations.

  Disclosing these confidential financial figures would be highly prejudicial to our ongoing merger negotiations.

• The court ruled that the leaked evidence was prejudicial to the defendant's right to a fair trial.

  The court ruled that the leaked evidence was prejudicial to the defendant's right to a fair trial.

• Any behavior prejudicial to the company's reputation may result in immediate termination.

  Any behavior prejudicial to the company's reputation may result in immediate termination.

• They agreed to settle out of court to avoid a public trial that could be prejudicial to both brands.

  They agreed to settle out of court to avoid a public trial that could be prejudicial to both brands.

• The new regulations are prejudicial to small businesses that cannot afford high compliance costs.

  The new regulations are prejudicial to small businesses that cannot afford high compliance costs.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ His comments were prejudicial for our team.

  ✓ His comments were prejudicial to our team.

  The adjective 'prejudicial' is almost always paired with the preposition 'to', not 'for'.

• ✗ She is highly prejudicial against her coworkers.

  ✓ She is highly prejudiced against her coworkers.

  'Prejudiced' means having a bias or stereotype against someone. 'Prejudicial' means causing objective harm or damage to a situation, case, or business interest.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Sharing our proprietary code with competitors would be highly ___ our market position.

  💡 A formal phrase meaning 'harmful or damaging to'.

  Show answer

  prejudicial to

• The judge warned that publishing details of the case could be ___ a fair trial.

  💡 It means damaging to the legal rights of someone.

  Show answer

  prejudicial to