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
Isolated spikes aren’t harmful.
—
Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 6 Apr. 2026
The action, whether intentional or not, reflects a harmful pattern that minimizes Black voices and their experiences.
—Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 6 Apr. 2026
The latter rewards attention and can blame harmful content on users, while AI’s customers usually want factual information, often for business-critical decisions, and AI companies are on the hook for any errors their tools make.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 5 Apr. 2026
They’re made from sustainable materials, are often biodegradable, and are considered less harmful to the environment.
—Sharon Brandwein, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for harmful
Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 6 Apr. 2026
The action, whether intentional or not, reflects a harmful pattern that minimizes Black voices and their experiences.
—Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 6 Apr. 2026
The latter rewards attention and can blame harmful content on users, while AI’s customers usually want factual information, often for business-critical decisions, and AI companies are on the hook for any errors their tools make.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 5 Apr. 2026
They’re made from sustainable materials, are often biodegradable, and are considered less harmful to the environment.
—Sharon Brandwein, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for harmful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harmful
Adjective
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Importantly, there was no detrimental effect on strength or durability from the additives.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Mar. 2026
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However, a full recovery is unlikely in the near term, meaning many detrimental impacts could persist, or even intensify, through the rest of the year.—
Daniel Manzo,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
On April 4, a cold front heading east will bring risks of hail, heavy rain and damaging winds from Texas to southwestern New York, AccuWeather reported.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
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The tornadoes ranged in intensity from EF-0 to EF-3, damaging or destroying numerous homes and businesses, overturning vehicles and causing widespread power outages.—
Eric Henderson,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The sheriff's office extended condolences to the child's family and loved ones, calling the incident a tragic reminder of how quickly conditions on the water can turn dangerous.—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
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As multiple cities around Jackson County move to ban types of unregulated and potentially dangerous ‘gas station drugs’ — specifically more potent variations of kratom — Lee’s Summit has not only joined the charge but has taken restrictions even further.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The most common adverse events were falls and muscle weakness, which overlap with ALS symptoms.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
3 Apr. 2026
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When you're stressed or angry, your cortisol levels rise, which can have adverse effects on your heart, metabolism, and immune system.—
Sharon Basaraba,
Verywell Health,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Gas and diesel prices have soared since the start of the Iran war, but the situation could get even worse later this year because of ethanol requirements and problems with fertilizer supply chains.—
E.J. Antoni,
Boston Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
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Flattening the curve—making bad floods somewhat less bad—feels achievable.—
Eric Klinenberg,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harmful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harmful. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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