HARM Synonyms: 153 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

harm 1 of 2

noun

ˈhärm

Definition of harm next

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

harm

2 of 2

verb

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of harm

Noun

That's the real legacy of COVID; those most responsible for the immeasurable harm refusing to take accountability for it. —

Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 June 2026 Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. —

Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 22 June 2026

Verb

Trump, in one of his Truth Social posts, cited laws against defacing monuments as grounds for imprisoning anyone harming the pool. —

Nathan Ellgren, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2026 In its April 26 letter, the watershed advisory board said the training center project could harm the Fenton River, a major contributor to the 164-square-mile watershed, the largest in the state. —

Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 21 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for harm

Recent Examples of Synonyms for harm

Noun

The Viva Wyndham Dominicus Palace, part of the same chain, did not sustain any damage.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 20 June 2026
Dish soap, and especially Dawn dish soap, is designed to cut through grease quickly without causing damage.

— Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 20 June 2026

Definition of damage

Verb

Jacob Whitehead Homophobic chant mars Mexico’s win Before the World Cup, the Mexican football federation launched a campaign that featured the heroes of the country’s 1986 World Cup side.

— Jack Lang, New York Times, 26 June 2026
Starmer is leaving after two years in office marred by missteps and judgment errors that eroded his standing with his party and the public.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 June 2026

Definition of mar

Noun

Greenberg tried his best to ignore an irritating ankle injury that had plagued him the last couple of weeks and grimaced under the hazy sunlight as the pitcher, probably 20 or more years his junior, stared him down.

— Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026
There was drama, remarkable goals and worrying injury in Sweden’s showdown with Japan at AT&T Stadium Thursday in the final Group F match.

— Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 June 2026

Definition of injury

Verb

In this conflict, almost 4,000 people in Lebanon have been killed — a higher death toll than Iran’s — including 746 women, children and health workers; and more than triple that wounded.

— Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 22 June 2026
The International Committee of the Red Cross said 2025 was the worst year for civilians in a decade, with more than 900 people killed or wounded by explosive devices.

— Ines Capdevila, CNN Money, 21 June 2026