Harmful
Causing or capable of causing harm or damage; injurious or dangerous.
adjectiveHarmful
Causing or capable of causing harm or damage; injurious or dangerous.
adjectiveImagine This
Imagine a bright red warning label on a bottle that reads 'Harmful' with a skull icon; simply touching the label makes you step back, picturing the potential danger and damage it could cause.
Sounds Like
harm full
Looks Like
harm + ful; visually suggests 'full of harm'
Remember This
Harmful comes from harm (injury) plus the suffix -ful (full of). It contrasts with harmless, which means not causing harm.
Other Forms
Connect With
detrimental, injurious, deleterious, damaging, hazardous
Note
Use 'harmful' to describe things that could cause damage or injury (chemicals, behaviors, weather, substances). Distinguish from 'dangerous' in some contexts: harmful emphasizes injury or damage, while dangerous emphasizes risk or immediacy. Beware of overusing 'harmful' with abstract ideas; pair with 'potentially' when appropriate.