HARMFUL

Pronunciation (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does harmful mean? 

• HARMFUL (adjective)
  The adjective HARMFUL has 6 senses:

1. injurious to physical or mental health
2. able or likely to do harm
3. causing or capable of causing harm
4. constituting a disadvantage
5. contrary to your interests or welfare
6. tending to cause great harm

  Familiarity information: HARMFUL used as an adjective is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• HARMFUL (adjective)

Meaning:

Injurious to physical or mental health

Synonyms:

harmful; noxious

Context examples:

noxious chemical wastes / noxious ideas

Similar:

vesicant; vesicatory (causing blisters)

corrupting; degrading (harmful to the mind or morals)

baneful; deadly; pernicious; pestilent (exceedingly harmful)

Also:

harmful (causing or capable of causing harm)

toxic (of or relating to or caused by a toxin or poison)

unwholesome (detrimental to physical or moral well-being)

Meaning:

Able or likely to do harm

Similar:

dangerous; unsafe (involving or causing danger or risk; liable to hurt or harm)

Meaning:

Causing or capable of causing harm

Context examples:

too much sun is harmful to the skin / harmful effects of smoking

Similar:

counterproductive (tending to hinder the achievement of a goal)

damaging; detrimental; prejudicial; prejudicious ((sometimes followed by 'to') causing harm or injury)

ill (resulting in suffering or adversity)

insidious; pernicious; subtle (working or spreading in a hidden and usually injurious way)

mischievous (deliberately causing harm or damage)

nocent (having a tendency to cause harm)

stabbing; wounding (causing physical or especially psychological injury)

catastrophic; ruinous (extremely harmful; bringing physical or financial ruin)

calumniatory; calumnious; defamatory; denigrating; denigrative; denigratory; libellous; libelous; slanderous ((used of statements) harmful and often untrue; tending to discredit or malign)

deleterious; hurtful; injurious (harmful to living things)

bruising (causing mental or emotional injury)

bad (capable of harming)

abusive (characterized by physical or psychological maltreatment)

Also:

unwholesome (detrimental to physical or moral well-being)

toxic (of or relating to or caused by a toxin or poison)

painful (causing physical or psychological pain)

offensive (causing anger or annoyance)

harmful; noxious (injurious to physical or mental health)

disadvantageous; harmful (constituting a disadvantage)

malign (evil or harmful in nature or influence)

destructive (causing destruction or much damage)

Antonym:

harmless (not causing or capable of causing harm)

Meaning:

Constituting a disadvantage

Synonyms:

disadvantageous; harmful

Similar:

minus; negative (involving disadvantage or harm)

Also:

inexpedient (not suitable or advisable)

harmful (causing or capable of causing harm)

inopportune (not opportune)

Meaning:

Contrary to your interests or welfare

Synonyms:

adverse; untoward; inauspicious; harmful

Context examples:

adverse circumstances / made a place for themselves under the most untoward conditions

Similar:

unfavorable; unfavourable (not encouraging or approving or pleasing)

Meaning:

Tending to cause great harm

Synonyms:

injurious; evil; harmful

Similar:

malign (evil or harmful in nature or influence)