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.
Study Deeper
- Smoking is harmful to your health.
- Certain chemicals can be harmful if inhaled.
From harm (injury) + the suffix -ful (full of); Old English harm, with the -ful suffix forming the adjective in Middle English.
HARMFUL = harm + full. Remember that something harmful is literally full of harm; picture a bottle labeled 'Harmful' that is overflowing with danger.
Next Word
Continue in alphabetical order.
Try a Random Word
Pick any word below to jump in.
Capitulate
verbTo surrender or yield, typically under negotiated terms or conditions.
Harbor
verbTo shelter or provide refuge for someone; to conceal or protect; to hold in the mind (as in harboring a thought, feeling, or grievance).
Whimsicality
nounThe quality or state of being whimsically playful or fanciful; lighthearted imagination that is unpredictable and charmingly odd.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
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.
Adamant
adjectiveRigid in opinion or purpose; not willing to change one's mind or position.
Adept
adjectiveHaving or showing a high level of skill or proficiency; very capable.