Standard Lemma guide

disservice

noun · verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /dɪ(s)ˈsɜːvɪs/
  • US: dis·sər ́vĭs
  • US: /dɪ(s)ˈsɝvɪs/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: D IH0 S ER1 V AH0 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Service that results in harm; an (intentionally or unintentionally) unhelpful, harmful action.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • One renders young people a disservice by heaping unearned rewards on them.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To disserve, to provide a disservice to; to provide harmful or inadequate service to.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

an act intended to help that turns out badly

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he did them a disservice

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ill service, ill turn

Antonyms: service

Broader terms: injury

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Latin dis- Old French des-bor. Latin dis-bor. Middle English dis- English dis- English service English disservice From dis- + service.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: medvědí služba — service that results in harm
  • Finnish: karhunpalvelus — service that results in harm
  • French: mauvais service — service that results in harm
  • French: desservice — service that results in harm
  • Georgian: დათვური სამსახური (datvuri samsaxuri) — service that results in harm
  • German: Bärendienst — service that results in harm
  • German: schlechter Dienst — service that results in harm
  • German: Schaden — service that results in harm
  • Hindi: अपकार (apkār) — service that results in harm
  • Lithuanian: meškos paslauga — service that results in harm
  • Polish: niedźwiedzia przysługa — service that results in harm
  • Portuguese: desserviço — service that results in harm
  • Romanian: deserviciu — service that results in harm
  • Spanish: flaco favor — service that results in harm
  • Spanish: deservicio — service that results in harm
  • Swedish: björntjänst — service that results in harm