as in benign
not causing or being capable of causing injury or hurt
a perfectly harmless little spider
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of harmless
Their early-stage approach uses a harmless bacterium that naturally lives on the eye, genetically tweaked to release an anti-inflammatory protein where the body needs it most.
—
Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 16 June 2026
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine engineered the harmless eye-dwelling microbe Corynebacterium mastitidis to secrete interleukin-10 (IL-10), a protein that regulates inflammation and supports wound healing.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 16 June 2026
The vast majority of bacteria are harmless or beneficial, even fecal ones; some experts estimate that only about one in a billion bacterial species are human pathogens.
—Joseph Kim, NPR, 16 June 2026
Nepotism in baseball was once considered harmless.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for harmless
Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 16 June 2026
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine engineered the harmless eye-dwelling microbe Corynebacterium mastitidis to secrete interleukin-10 (IL-10), a protein that regulates inflammation and supports wound healing.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 16 June 2026
The vast majority of bacteria are harmless or beneficial, even fecal ones; some experts estimate that only about one in a billion bacterial species are human pathogens.
—Joseph Kim, NPR, 16 June 2026
Nepotism in baseball was once considered harmless.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for harmless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harmless
Adjective
-
Enlarged prostate Similarly, current labels on therapies generally warn that testosterone therapy may worsen symptoms of benign enlarged prostate.—
Jacqueline Howard,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
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In 2019, an international group of researchers suggested that Simonetta suffered from a pituitary adenoma, or a benign tumor on the pituitary gland.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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Despite a ballot mix-up by the State's vendor, the State Board of Elections (SBE) has maintained that all ballots and voting is safe.—
Bryant Reed,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
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Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
19 June 2026
Adjective
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Authorities say a suspect who was eight months pregnant crashed her car into a Sturbridge, Massachusetts hotel early Thursday morning and then started shooting, critically injuring an innocent bystander at the hotel before turning the gun on herself.—
Aaron Parseghian,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
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The deaths of innocent Americans, and misleading the public on the rationale for their deaths, played a role in her departure.—
Gary Franks,
Hartford Courant,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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This seemingly innocuous question continues to shape mathematical research to this day.—
Manon Bischoff,
Scientific American,
19 June 2026
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These seemingly innocuous actions can kindle dry grass, potentially triggering a wildfire.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
19 June 2026
Adjective
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On the surface, Little House on the Prairie is one of the most inoffensive and wholesome shows of all time.—
Britt Hayes,
Entertainment Weekly,
17 June 2026
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The Breadwinner is aiming to recapture the satisfaction of going to see a three-out-of-five-star movie, offering decent laughs in an inoffensive package.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
Adjective
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Prior research has linked secure attachment throughout childhood and adolescence to better mental health, healthier relationships and greater emotional resilience.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
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Eating both broccoli and Brussels sprouts can be part of a healthy, balanced diet.—
Danielle Zickl,
Health,
20 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harmless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harmless. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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