Vocabulary in context
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Baleful
Destructive; harmful; threatening or showing the intention to cause harm.
adjectiveCheck this word before you leave
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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.
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Study Deeper
Examples
- A baleful glare swept across the courtroom, signaling trouble ahead.
- The dictator's baleful policies left the nation in turmoil.
Synonyms
harmfuldestructivemenacingbanefulpernicious
Antonyms
benignharmlessbeneficial
Etymology
From Old English bealu meaning evil or harm, plus the suffix -ful; literally 'full of evil/harm.'
Mnemonic
BALeFUL sounds like 'bale-full'—a bale full of danger that warns you to stay away.
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Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Ominous
adjectiveAn adjective describing something that indicates danger or disaster is about to happen.
Baneful
adjectivePoisonous, harmful, and destructive; capable of causing ruin or injury.
Abstruse
adjectiveDifficult to understand; obscure or highly complex.
Accidental
adjectiveHappening by chance or without deliberate planning; not intended. In music, it is also a noun for a symbol that temporarily alters a pitch.
Acerbic
adjectiveSharp or biting in tone or taste; caustic or mordant in manner.
Acquiescent
adjectiveReady to agree or approve without protest; compliant.
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