Synonyms of harm

harm 1 of 2

noun

ˈhärm 

as in damage

something that causes loss or pain

you were lucky to survive the fire without harm

no harm in trying

Synonyms & Similar Words

• damage
• injury
• detriment
• hurt
• insult
• offence
• affront
• disservice
• injustice
• affliction
• impairment
• crippling
• wrong
• mutilation
• indignity
• disability
• mayhem
• outrage
• disfigurement
• wound
• beating
• dart
• lesion
• abrasion
• defacement
• rupture
• swelling
• offense
• burn
• disablement
• scar
• scratch
• bruise
• laceration
• contusion
• scald
• strain
• gash
• concussion
• scrape
• sear
• scathe
• bump
• boo-boo
• chafe
• cut

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• recovery
• healing
• remedy
• cure
• fix

harm

2 of 2

verb

1

as in to damage

to cause bodily damage to

though she wasn't harmed by the flying glass, she slipped and fell on a piece and cut her hand

Synonyms & Similar Words

• damage
• injure
• hurt
• wound
• bruise
• scar
• blow out
• tear
• bloody
• torture
• maim
• torment
• lacerate
• impair
• cripple
• afflict
• scald
• graze
• mutilate
• gore
• nick
• abuse
• batter
• scathe
• strain
• crease
• hamstring
• cut
• gash
• spoil
• contuse
• aggrieve
• mar
• lay up
• maltreat
• scrape
• mangle
• lame
• blemish

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fix
• cure
• remedy
• heal
• mend

2

as in to injure

to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of

the company's reputation has been harmed by allegations of crooked accounting

Synonyms & Similar Words

• damage
• injure
• mar
• hurt
• compromise
• cripple
• weaken
• impair
• spoil
• erode
• destroy
• break
• ruin
• flaw
• undermine
• disfigure
• cross (up)
• bloody
• vitiate
• deface
• blemish
• crab
• deteriorate
• wound
• shatter
• endamage
• tarnish
• batter
• wear (away)
• enfeeble
• wreck
• blight
• enervate
• devastate
• demolish
• wash out
• torture
• dent
• torment
• maim
• scour
• waste
• gum (up)
• ding
• annihilate
• smash
• botch
• mutilate
• disable
• crush
• wipe out
• decimate
• lacerate
• tear down
• hamstring
• total
• queer
• desolate
• dint
• scourge
• pulverize
• clobber
• mangle
• raze
• lame
• dash
• bash
• do in
• bang up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• repair
• help
• rebuild
• fix
• patch
• heal
• cure
• reconstruct
• remedy
• mend
• rectify
• renovate
• rehabilitate
• revamp
• improve
• better
• enhance
• recondition
• doctor
• perfect
• revise
• ameliorate
• enrich
• edit
• remodel
• refine
• meliorate

Synonym Chooser

How is the word harm distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of harm are damage, hurt, impair, injure, and mar. While all these words mean "to affect injuriously," harm often stresses the inflicting of pain, suffering, or loss.

careful not to harm the animals

When might damage be a better fit than harm?

While the synonyms damage and harm are close in meaning, damage suggests injury that lowers value or impairs usefulness.

a table damaged in shipping

When is it sensible to use hurt instead of harm?

The words hurt and harm are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, hurt implies inflicting a wound to the body or to the feelings.

hurt by their callous remarks

When would impair be a good substitute for harm?

The meanings of impair and harm largely overlap; however, impair suggests a making less complete or efficient by deterioration or diminution.

years of smoking had impaired his health

In what contexts can injure take the place of harm?

The words injure and harm can be used in similar contexts, but injure implies the inflicting of anything detrimental to one's looks, comfort, health, or success.

badly injured in an accident

When can mar be used instead of harm?

While in some cases nearly identical to harm, mar applies to injury that spoils perfection (as of a surface) or causes disfigurement.

the text is marred by many typos

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of harm

Noun

Newsom issued an executive order earlier this year requiring the Department of Public Health to provide recommendations by April on limiting harms from ultraprocessed foods. —Sophie Austin, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025

The MacArthur Foundation is recognizing and supporting Dasgupta's work at a time when many harm reduction programs are under attack. —Brian Mann, NPR, 8 Oct. 2025

Verb

Tate has been accused of assaulting at least four 14 and 15-year-old boys, but police believe that there could be more victims and are encouraging parents to speak with their children to see if they were harmed. —Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 7 Oct. 2025

While beneficial, excessive use can harm your plants. —Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Oct. 2025