Baleful
Destructive; harmful; threatening or showing the intention to cause harm.
adjectiveBaleful
Destructive; harmful; threatening or showing the intention to cause harm.
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Imagine This
A bale full of gunpowder is harmful and dangerous when kept under the hot sun. If a bale of hay falls on you from the top of a building, it will certainly be harmful to you, won’t it? Ouch…! Even though it is just a bale of hay.
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Sounds Like
BEYL-fuhl
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Looks Like
bale + full
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Remember This
Baleful comes from Old English bealu meaning evil or harm, plus the suffix -ful, literally meaning 'full of evil/harm.'
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Other Forms
balefullyadverb
balefulnessnoun
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Note
Baleful is a stronger, more literary word than simply 'harmful.' It often conveys a sense of ominous danger or threatenings; avoid using it for trivial or cheerful contexts.