baneful

American  

[beyn-fuhl] / ˈbeɪn fəl /

adjective

1. destructive; pernicious.

   a baneful superstition.

   Synonyms:

   toxic, noxious, injurious, harmful

2. Archaic. deadly; poisonous.

   baneful herbs.

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baneful British  

/ ˈbeɪnfʊl /

adjective

1. archaic destructive, poisonous, or fatal

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Other Word Forms

• banefully adverb
• banefulness noun

Etymology

Origin of baneful

First recorded in 1570–80; bane + -ful

Explanation

Anything that's baneful is destructive or disastrous. The effects of wildfires can be baneful, causing the loss of people's homes, health, and even their lives. The baneful effects of having an incredibly difficult math class at eight in the morning don't begin to compare to the baneful results of climate change. Still, feel free to use this archaic adjective for anything you consider to be extremely harmful. It comes from the noun bane and its Old English root, bana, which means not just "killer, slayer, murderer," but also "the devil."

Example Sentences

And in his farewell address, President Washington warned that “history and experience prove that foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of republican government.”

From New York Times • Dec. 4, 2019

Like Monroe, he wanted to rise above factions, and rejoiced upon taking office that “the baneful weed of party strife was uprooted,” but he found that his refusal to play favorites left him friendless.

From Textbooks • Jan. 18, 2018

In his Farewell Address in 1796, George Washington warned the people against what he called “the baneful effects of the spirit of party.”

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2016

He set out to shame that baneful narrative.

From Washington Post

“I believe,” concluded Scott, “if Congress should at any time be of the opinion that a state of slavery was a quality inadmissible in America, they would not be barred...of prohibiting this baneful quality.”

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis