Harmful — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈhärm-fəl/ harm·ful

Meaning & Definition of Harmful

Harmful (adjective)

  1. of a kind likely to be damaging, injurious

Harmful (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. causing or capable of causing harm

    "DDT has been proven to be extremely harmful to the environment"

    similar: adverse, bad, baleful, baneful, damaging, dangerous, deleterious, detrimental, evil, hurtful, ill, injurious, mischievous, nocuous, noxious, pernicious, prejudicial, wicked
    related: hostile, inimical, unfriendly, contagious, deadly, infectious, infective, pestiferous, pestilent, pestilential, poisonous, venomous, insidious, menacing, ominous, sinister, threatening, hazardous, imperiling, jeopardizing, parlous, perilous, risky, unsafe, unsound, nasty, noisome, unhealthful, unhealthy, unwholesome, destructive, fatal, killer, lethal, malignant, ruinous
    opposite: anodyne, benign, harmless, hurtless, innocent, innocuous, inoffensive, safe
    near: advantageous, beneficial, useful, favorable, good, propitious, curative, healthful, healthy, helpful, palliative, remedial, salubrious, salutary, wholesome, secure, sound, benignant, noncorrosive, nondestructive, nonfatal, noninfectious, nonlethal, nonpoisonous, nonpolluting, nontoxic, nonvenomous

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Harmful

The most common words with a similar meaning to Harmful:

adverse, bad, baleful, baneful, damaging, dangerous, deleterious, detrimental, evil, hurtful, ill, injurious, mischievous, nocuous, noxious, pernicious, prejudicial, wicked

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Harmful

Words with the opposite meaning of Harmful:

anodyne, benign, harmless, hurtless, innocent, innocuous, inoffensive, safe

Related Words for Harmful

hostile, inimical, unfriendly, contagious, deadly, infectious, infective, pestiferous, pestilent, pestilential, poisonous, venomous, insidious, menacing, ominous, sinister, threatening, hazardous, imperiling, jeopardizing, parlous, perilous, risky, unsafe, unsound, nasty, noisome, unhealthful, unhealthy, unwholesome

Near Antonyms of Harmful

advantageous, beneficial, useful, favorable, good, propitious, curative, healthful, healthy, helpful, palliative, remedial, salubrious, salutary, wholesome, secure, sound, benignant, noncorrosive, nondestructive, nonfatal, noninfectious, nonlethal, nonpoisonous, nonpolluting, nontoxic, nonvenomous

Word Forms of Harmful

Derived words: harmfully (adverb), harmfulness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Harmful

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Harmful

Frequently Asked Questions about Harmful

What does "Harmful" mean?

"Harmful" means of a kind likely to be damaging, injurious. As an adjective, it is defined as: of a kind likely to be damaging, injurious.

What is another word for "Harmful"?

Other words for "Harmful" include adverse, bad, baleful, baneful, damaging, dangerous, deleterious and detrimental. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Harmful" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Harmful"?

There are 54 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Harmful". Common alternatives include adverse, bad, baleful, baneful, damaging, dangerous, deleterious, detrimental, evil and hurtful.

What is the opposite of "Harmful"?

Antonyms of "Harmful" include anodyne, benign, harmless, hurtless, innocent, innocuous, inoffensive and safe. Near antonyms include advantageous, beneficial, useful and favorable.

How do you use "Harmful" in a sentence?

Examples of "Harmful" in a sentence: "DDT has been proven to be extremely harmful to the environment".

Is "Harmful" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Harmful" is an adjective.

Is "Harmful" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Harmful" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+.

How do you pronounce "Harmful"?

"Harmful" is pronounced /ˈhärm-fəl/ and divided into syllables as harm·ful.