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Vocabulary Builder — Essay & Answer Writing

Deleterious

adjective / del-ih-TEER-ee-us / Hard
Meaning

Harmful or damaging, often in subtle or cumulative ways; injurious.

Origin / Etymology

From Greek 'deleterios' (noxious), from 'deleter' (destroyer). Used widely in science and policy contexts for effects that are negative but not catastrophic.

Synonyms
Harmful Injurious Detrimental
Antonyms
Beneficial Salutary Restorative
Example Sentence
"Stringent cow-protection laws across 20+ Indian states have had deleterious effects on farmer livelihoods through the collapse of secondary cattle markets and stray-cattle externalities."
🎯 UPSC Usage

GS2/3 Mains: Use for adverse unintended consequences of policy — deleterious effects of subsidies, deleterious impact of free electricity, deleterious externalities. More formal than 'harmful'.

Relevant Subjects
Economy
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