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
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
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
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
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
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
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
-
Antisocial Anger Some teenagers express their anger through harmful behaviors such as threatening others, vandalism, skipping school or using drugs.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
-
Independent testing confirms that the supplement contains the ingredients listed on the label and is free from harmful contaminants.—
Kirstyn Hill,
Health,
15 July 2025
Adjective
-
Possible issues associated with consuming too much of the spice include allergic reactions (that can range from mild irritation to serious symptoms), stomach pain and potential adverse interactions with medications such as blood thinners.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
-
Earth’s magnetic field naturally protects living things and Earth-orbiting satellites from most adverse effects of space weather.—
Mojtaba Akhavan-Tafti,
The Conversation,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
These dams have detrimental ecological impacts in an area that is already experiencing a high amount of litter.—
Ruby Grisin,
The Courier-Journal,
11 July 2025
-
Major Mistakes Around Culture And Values In M&A Deals • Ignoring or underestimating inaccurate rumors and gossip—these are highly detrimental to overall organizational and individual morale.—
Ashutosh Labroo,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
Adjective
-
Critics say Trump has only become more dangerous, pursuing radical ideas without restraint.—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
11 July 2025
-
Don’t forget the sunscreen Looking toward the rest of that sun protection, a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 will often be sufficient to protect your skin from dangerous UV radiation.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
The Baltimore area is under a flood watch, as thunderstorms and damaging winds are possible Monday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
14 July 2025
-
Stay away from windows as flying debris generated by damaging winds can be deadly.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
13 July 2025
Adjective
-
Earlier this month, employees at the Environmental Protection Agency, filed their own letter, with even worse results; 140 of them were placed on administrative leave.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
22 July 2025
-
Making the timing of this move even worse, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, the nation’s most high-profile banker, is warning that private credit funds may be heading for a 2008-style crisis.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Baneful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/baneful. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.
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