as in harmful
causing or capable of causing harm
the incredibly baneful effect that drug addiction has on so many communities
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of baneful
The baneful effects of war on public speech and freedoms in Russia have been well recorded.
—
Fred Weir, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Dec. 2022
The impact these soldiers had on the South was baneful.
—New York Times, 14 Feb. 2022
We are mired in a baneful pandemic unlike anything endured for a century, parsing our lives into 14-day increments of health and survival — or not.
—Peter M. Leschak, Star Tribune, 31 July 2020
To home in on what gives these peculiar primates their baneful bite, Fry and his colleagues collected the underarm secretions from a handful of wild slow lorises housed at a research station in Indonesia and isolated the proteins within.
—Katherine J. Wu, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Feb. 2020
This resulted in all the baneful consequences of the French Revolution, which Edmund Burke so brilliantly exposed in his Reflections on the Revolution in France.
—Jaithirth Rao, Quartz India, 4 Nov. 2019
Chaos convincingly ebbs and flows in this rattling film, a baneful tide lapping at some of history’s most troubled shores.
—Richard Lawson, HWD, 20 July 2017
Chaos convincingly ebbs and flows in this rattling film, a baneful tide lapping at some of history’s most troubled shores.
—Richard Lawson, vanityfair.com, 20 July 2017
Fred Weir, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Dec. 2022
The impact these soldiers had on the South was baneful.
—New York Times, 14 Feb. 2022
We are mired in a baneful pandemic unlike anything endured for a century, parsing our lives into 14-day increments of health and survival — or not.
—Peter M. Leschak, Star Tribune, 31 July 2020
To home in on what gives these peculiar primates their baneful bite, Fry and his colleagues collected the underarm secretions from a handful of wild slow lorises housed at a research station in Indonesia and isolated the proteins within.
—Katherine J. Wu, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Feb. 2020
This resulted in all the baneful consequences of the French Revolution, which Edmund Burke so brilliantly exposed in his Reflections on the Revolution in France.
—Jaithirth Rao, Quartz India, 4 Nov. 2019
Chaos convincingly ebbs and flows in this rattling film, a baneful tide lapping at some of history’s most troubled shores.
—Richard Lawson, HWD, 20 July 2017
Chaos convincingly ebbs and flows in this rattling film, a baneful tide lapping at some of history’s most troubled shores.
—Richard Lawson, vanityfair.com, 20 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for baneful
Adjective
-
Hendryx also said the move would lead to more environmental destruction, more local air and water pollution from mining sites, more pollution from power plants, more harmful contributions to climate change emissions, and other negative impacts.—
John Feng,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
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The lack of structure could have harmful consequences for kids in the long run.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Concerns or reports of adverse effects can be directed to the FDA's Human Foods Program at 1-888-SAFEFOOD (1-888-723-3366).—
Matt Cannon,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
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Such issues include severe weather impacts, adverse road conditions and trash buildups that pose a threat to human and/or wildlife health.—
Michael Salerno,
AZCentral.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Now the passion and confidence are overflowing in a way that’s detrimental.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Even some Republicans began warning this summer that letting those tax credits lapse could be detrimental, with Republican pollsters Tony Fabrizio and Bob Ward issuing a memo that cautioned an extension of the credits could make a difference in next year's midterm election.—
Amanda Seitz,
NPR,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
So quick, so dangerous in the final third, and surely so motivated to revive his career in a World Cup year.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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But even hanging around the base camp can be dangerous, as hundreds of holiday makers were trapped when the area was hit in an unexpected blizzard over the weekend.—
Kaijing Xiao,
ABC News,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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While many consider the mammal a nuisance for raiding garbage cans and damaging property, raccoons can also carry diseases, and they probably shouldn't be kept as housepets.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
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Additional details about the texts could also be more damaging to Robinson's defense, Lazaro said.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The game didn’t start bad for the Giants.—
Dan Duggan,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
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Apparently, Grier forgot his own words, because the lines that the Dolphins have built are collectively their worst this decade, something evident in a crushing 27-24 loss to Carolina, a game in which Miami blew a 17-0 lead.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
5 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Baneful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/baneful. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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