1
as in damaging
to cause bodily damage to
though she wasn't harmed by the flying glass, she slipped and fell on a piece and cut her hand
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in injuring
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
the company's reputation has been harmed by allegations of crooked accounting
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of harming
Our city streets occupied by armed agents of the state again, kitted out in combat gear; those agents are harming us again.
—
Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
For many people, eggs can be eaten regularly without harming heart health.
—Julie Scott, Verywell Health, 28 Jan. 2026
Under her, the department is harming citizens, not protecting them.
—Arkansas Online, 27 Jan. 2026
The case will be the first in a slew of cases beginning this year that seek to hold social media companies responsible for harming children’s mental well-being.
—Barbara Ortutay, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2026
And a fire sale could end up harming European investors even more than Washington itself, the Financial Times warned.
—Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 26 Jan. 2026
But the agency's conservative critics have long accused the CFPB of overreaching, punishing small lenders and harming businesses.
—Stephan Bisaha, NPR, 21 Jan. 2026
And second, that this protective habit might be secretly harming your self-esteem.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
The key to pruning without harming your Japanese maple is to avoid taking off too much; don’t remove more than a third of the branches annually, and limit major pruning to the dormancy period.
—Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 18 Jan. 2026
Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
For many people, eggs can be eaten regularly without harming heart health.
—Julie Scott, Verywell Health, 28 Jan. 2026
Under her, the department is harming citizens, not protecting them.
—Arkansas Online, 27 Jan. 2026
The case will be the first in a slew of cases beginning this year that seek to hold social media companies responsible for harming children’s mental well-being.
—Barbara Ortutay, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2026
And a fire sale could end up harming European investors even more than Washington itself, the Financial Times warned.
—Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 26 Jan. 2026
But the agency's conservative critics have long accused the CFPB of overreaching, punishing small lenders and harming businesses.
—Stephan Bisaha, NPR, 21 Jan. 2026
And second, that this protective habit might be secretly harming your self-esteem.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
The key to pruning without harming your Japanese maple is to avoid taking off too much; don’t remove more than a third of the branches annually, and limit major pruning to the dormancy period.
—Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 18 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harming
Verb
-
Historical precedent suggests 18-24 months between credibility-damaging foreign policy moments and electoral materialization.—
Güney Yıldız,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Several other cases remain pending — most notably the high-profile conspiracy charges against six protesters, including several Democratic political candidates, accused of impeding immigration officers and damaging a vehicle outside the Broadview ICE facility in September.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
That poor year was largely the product of Vogelsong injuring his right pinkie finger and missing more than two months, but Vogelsong questioned whether the tournament had any impact.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
And then there’s Kyle Rittenhouse, a counter-protester acquitted after fatally shooting two men and injuring another in Kenosha, Wisconsin, during the post-Floyd protests.—
Bill Barrow,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Not forcing her to go means hurting the other girl, forcing her to go means teaching your daughter that her own comfort should be subjugated to make someone else happy.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
-
These are the most casual of gestures, not comparable to relatives hurting a child.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Including playoffs, Mayfield turned the ball over more than anyone else from 2023 through 2024, marring an otherwise fantastic two seasons in Tampa Bay.—
Jacob Robinson,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
-
An optional front rack on both models adds instant utility without marring the retro-fantastic looks.—
William Roberson,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The suspect, charged with murder and other crimes, allegedly shot at four people in separate vehicles in Prince George’s County, killing one and wounding two.—
Jasmine Golden,
Washington Post,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Faceworld members opened fire, killing Jordan and wounding another woman.—
Sam Charles,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Plus, the soothing licorice root extract helps calm everything down, making this an ideal pick for anyone who wants to combat discoloration without compromising hydration.—
Deanna Pai,
Allure,
29 Jan. 2026
-
These ultra-warm and puffy ankle boots are extra flexible and can be easily folded or squished down in a suitcase without compromising their structural integrity.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Milk, butter and cheese prices on the wholesale market and at grocery stores have decreased slightly due to oversupply and weakening consumer demand.—
Cheryl V. Jackson,
IndyStar,
9 Jan. 2026
-
This suggests consumers enter 2026 with continuing concerns over high prices and weakening labor market conditions.—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harming. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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