harmless

adjective

harm·​less ˈhärm-ləs 

1

: free from harm, liability, or loss

2

: lacking capacity or intent to injure : innocuous

a harmless joke

harmlessly adverb

harmlessness noun

Synonyms

• anodyne
• benign
• hurtless
• innocent
• innocuous
• inoffensive
• safe
• white

Examples of harmless in a Sentence

His ideas seem harmless enough.

We're just having a bit of harmless fun.

It was just a harmless joke.

Recent Examples on the Web

What some viewers initially perceived as a harmless prank quickly escalated into a tense exchange. —Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 12 June 2025

In contrast to organic arsenic, a largely harmless compound commonly found in seafood, less than an eighth of a teaspoon of the inorganic powder can be fatal to an adult. —Caroline Fraser june 10, Literary Hub, 10 June 2025

Austin allowed two catches, including a harmless grab in the flat during a red-zone period. —Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 9 June 2025

While most ovarian cysts are completely harmless, there is a small chance that complications could arise if larger cysts are left untreated. —Caroline C. Boyle, USA Today, 4 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

harmless

adjective

harm·​less ˈhärm-ləs 

1

: free from harm

2

: unable to harm

harmlessly adverb

harmlessness noun

Legal Definition

harmless

adjective

harm·​less

1

: free from harm, liability, or loss

—often used in the phrase to hold harmless see also hold harmless

2

: lacking capacity or intent to injure

harmlessly adverb

harmlessness noun