HARMLESS
Dictionary entry overview: What does harmless mean?
• HARMLESS (adjective)
The adjective HARMLESS has 5 senses:
1. not causing or capable of causing harm
2. not injurious to physical or mental health
3. not producing any toxic effects
4. unlikely to harm or disturb anyone
5. not threatening to life or health; not malignant
Familiarity information: HARMLESS used as an adjective is common.
Dictionary entry details
• HARMLESS (adjective)
Meaning:
Not causing or capable of causing harm
Context examples:
harmless bacteria / rendered the bomb harmless
Similar:
innocent; innocuous (lacking intent or capacity to injure)
inoffensive; unoffending (causing no harm)
Also:
atoxic; nontoxic (not producing or resulting from poison)
safe (free from danger or the risk of harm)
painless (not causing physical or psychological pain)
harmless; innocuous (not injurious to physical or mental health)
benign; benignant (pleasant and beneficial in nature or influence)
Antonym:
harmful (causing or capable of causing harm)
Meaning:
Not injurious to physical or mental health
Synonyms:
innocuous; harmless
Similar:
innoxious (having no adverse effect)
inoffensive; uncontroversial (not offensive)
insipid (lacking significance or impact)
Also:
harmless (not causing or capable of causing harm)
Meaning:
Not producing any toxic effects
Similar:
atoxic; nontoxic (not producing or resulting from poison)
Meaning:
Unlikely to harm or disturb anyone
Synonyms:
innocuous; harmless
Context example:
harmless old man
Similar:
safe (free from danger or the risk of harm)
Meaning:
Not threatening to life or health; not malignant
Synonyms:
nonmalignant; harmless
Context example:
a benign tumor is usually harmless
Similar:
benign; benignant (pleasant and beneficial in nature or influence)
Domain category:
pathology (the branch of medical science that studies the causes and nature and effects of diseases)
