harmful

[ hahrm-fuhl ]

adjective

1. causing or capable of causing harm; injurious:

   a harmful idea;

   a harmful habit.

   Synonyms: deleterious, damaging, detrimental, hurtful

   Antonyms: beneficial

harmful

/ ˈhɑːmfʊl /

adjective

1. causing or tending to cause harm; injurious

Derived Forms

• ˈharmfully, adverb
• ˈharmfulness, noun

Other Words From

• harmful·ly adverb
• harmful·ness noun
• quasi-harmful adjective
• quasi-harmful·ly adverb
• un·harmful adjective
• un·harmful·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of harmful¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English hearmful; harm, -ful

Related Words

• adverse
• bad
• catastrophic
• damaging
• destructive
• detrimental
• disadvantageous
• disastrous
• inimical
• noxious
• painful
• pernicious
• risky
• ruinous
• sinful
• toxic
• unhealthy
• unsafe