# disservice

/dɪˈsɝvəs/ (US) · /dɪsˈɜːvɪs/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/disservice
Updated: 2026-05-19

## Definition

the act of helping someone or something to fail or be harmed. You use this when you do something that makes a situation worse than it already is.

For teachers: the act of causing a person or thing to suffer harm or failure. Often used in the phrase 'do a disservice to', indicating that an action or statement has a negative impact on the subject.

## Examples

- The poor quality of the translation did a disservice to the original book.
- By ignoring the safety warnings, the company did a great disservice to its customers and its own reputation.
- The hasty publication of the report did a disservice to the research team's years of effort, as the findings were misinterpreted by the media before they could be properly explained.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.