as in detrimental
causing or capable of causing harm
DDT has been proven to be extremely harmful to the environment
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Recent Examples of harmful
Lilies, in particular, can be especially harmful for cats, and other blooms may cause stomach upset in dogs.
—
Taneia Surles, USA Today, 9 May 2026
Training you out of real relationships Conversations with AI are missing some key components — a void that can make these seemingly lifelike interactions unhelpful or even harmful to those who want more connection.
—Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 9 May 2026
Harm Wildlife If used in a garden, mothballs can expose helpful insects, mammals, pets, and people to harmful chemicals.
—Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 9 May 2026
Some studies have shown the mussels may be eating plankton that native fish and other species eat, and they have been linked to harmful algae blooms.
—Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for harmful
Taneia Surles, USA Today, 9 May 2026
Training you out of real relationships Conversations with AI are missing some key components — a void that can make these seemingly lifelike interactions unhelpful or even harmful to those who want more connection.
—Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 9 May 2026
Harm Wildlife If used in a garden, mothballs can expose helpful insects, mammals, pets, and people to harmful chemicals.
—Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 9 May 2026
Some studies have shown the mussels may be eating plankton that native fish and other species eat, and they have been linked to harmful algae blooms.
—Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 8 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for harmful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harmful
Adjective
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And the dejected diehard of a downtrodden franchise isn’t truly stuck in a one-sided detrimental relationship.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
11 May 2026
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That interpretation could suggest the mayor of the county’s second-largest city would be prohibited from passing legislation or speaking out against federal laws that may be detrimental to many Chula Vistans.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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Storms could be strong and organized, bringing all severe weather threats — tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds — and downpours will also be possible, the Weather Service said.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
15 May 2026
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Why Migrations Generate Headaches One of the most damaging aspects of migration happens in the human aspect of the business.—
Thomas Berndorfer,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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Battista and Tucker are two of the most dangerous hitters in the state.—
Paul Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
12 May 2026
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If Iran gets away with charging any kind of toll or fee for passing through it, that principle is shot, and that is a dangerous thing.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2026
Adjective
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Post-Adverse Outcome Disclosure Obligations The replacement bill also creates disclosure obligations after an adverse outcome.—
Alonzo Martinez,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
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Prolonged stress can have adverse consequences, especially for pregnant mothers, children and critically ill patients.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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West Ham showed themselves to be a bad team, less than the sum of their parts and wholly ill-equipped for the challenge in front of them.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
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Each reiteration and exaggeration of Mary’s bad behavior is another civic stroke of the chisel that perfects the monumental Lincoln in our collective imagination.—
Thomas Mallon,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harmful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harmful. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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