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 of harmless

• benign
• safe
• innocent
• innocuous
• inoffensive
• healthy

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

Tell children never to disable security software because an online creator says a warning is harmless. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026

His nearly fatal ordeal began when a seemingly harmless lump on his cheek continued to grow. — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2026

Developed in 1916 and widely used by the 1940s, QACs — like bisphenols — were long assumed harmless when used as directed. — Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026

What starts as harmless tailing quickly evolves into something much more dangerous — Bret’s high-speed pursuit isn’t subtle, and Robert turns the tables on him by pulling over and then tapping Bret’s Mercedes 450SL from behind. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

13th 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