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
-
Specialty cleaners made for glass cooktops don’t contain harmful ingredients like ammonia.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Small settings changes can make a big difference in reducing exposure to harmful or suggestive content.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Because obesity will drive higher blood pressure, higher blood sugar, more adverse cholesterol levels—all sorts of things—that sort of becomes a perfect storm.—
Veronique Greenwood,
Time,
6 Nov. 2025
-
These weather conditions will result in elevated fire potential and a threat of adverse fire behavior.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
So, a pause from the action after that win didn’t seem too detrimental at the time.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Nov. 2025
-
These politically and financially motivated actions will have a detrimental impact on public health for our consumers in this state.—
Will McDuffie,
ABC News,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Chicago is facing a dangerous lake-effect snow event early Monday morning.—
Briana Waxman,
CNN Money,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Two decades ago, when the NFL's base offense consisted of two backs with a blocking tight end and only two wide receivers, an elite cornerback could often take away half of the dangerous receiving options.—
Mike Sando,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Seven lawsuits filed this week in California allege that ordinary users seeking school help, spiritual reassurance, or simple conversation were instead drawn into psychologically damaging exchanges that ultimately preceded several suicides.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Nov. 2025
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Vietnam is preparing for damaging winds, flooding, heavy rain and storm surges in its central provinces including Danang, Quang Ngai and Dak Lak.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Iran is facing its worst drought in decades, raising fears of evacuations in Tehran while threatening the regime’s stability and nuclear ambitions, according to a leading environmental expert.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Keeping bad things out of my body.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Baneful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/baneful. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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