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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of harming
Mulch 2–3 inches deep to cover roots safely and reduce maintenance without harming the tree.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2026
As killing foreign leaders gets easier for us, harming our leaders also presumably gets easier for others.
—Tim Naftali, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
The policies begin with attempts to stop the country from getting chemical or nuclear weapons, crippling its oil industry, and harming its general economy.
—Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 1 Mar. 2026
But both studies indicate how a largely unregulated billion-dollar industry fueled by Black women may also be disproportionately harming them.
—Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 28 Feb. 2026
Studies show glyphosate exposure may disturb honey bees, harming their ability to forage food, and that the weed killer could have damaging effects on plants, birds and mammals, according to the EPA.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 27 Feb. 2026
Finally, unnecessary technology usage in elementary grades is diminishing focus and harming academic performance.
—Alec Johnson, jsonline.com, 26 Feb. 2026
As a result, fewer companies now control more parts of the health care system, a shift that has drawn the ire of antitrust officials who worry the consolidation is harming consumers and making health care more expensive.
—Bob Herman, STAT, 26 Feb. 2026
State law also prohibits harming or harassing such wildlife, according to the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
—Dennis Romero, NBC news, 25 Feb. 2026
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2026
As killing foreign leaders gets easier for us, harming our leaders also presumably gets easier for others.
—Tim Naftali, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
The policies begin with attempts to stop the country from getting chemical or nuclear weapons, crippling its oil industry, and harming its general economy.
—Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 1 Mar. 2026
But both studies indicate how a largely unregulated billion-dollar industry fueled by Black women may also be disproportionately harming them.
—Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 28 Feb. 2026
Studies show glyphosate exposure may disturb honey bees, harming their ability to forage food, and that the weed killer could have damaging effects on plants, birds and mammals, according to the EPA.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 27 Feb. 2026
Finally, unnecessary technology usage in elementary grades is diminishing focus and harming academic performance.
—Alec Johnson, jsonline.com, 26 Feb. 2026
As a result, fewer companies now control more parts of the health care system, a shift that has drawn the ire of antitrust officials who worry the consolidation is harming consumers and making health care more expensive.
—Bob Herman, STAT, 26 Feb. 2026
State law also prohibits harming or harassing such wildlife, according to the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
—Dennis Romero, NBC news, 25 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harming
Verb
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Severe thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes, damaging winds and hail are expected across parts of Ohio on Saturday as a cold front moves through the region.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Mar. 2026
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This will help protect them from a later cold snap damaging the fresh, new growth.—
Wayne Hobbs,
Florida Times-Union,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Over the course of just one minute, the gunman sailed down the city’s bustling Sixth Street and then exited his car, firing off even more bullets, ultimately killing three people and injuring 13 others before he was fatally shot by police.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
3 Mar. 2026
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In Skokie, an Iranian-American can’t get through to communicate with his father in Iran after a bomb fell in the father’s neighborhood, injuring him.—
Claire Murphy,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Not only that, but Trump remains committed to hurting them and continuing to harm our global interests and relationships by issuing new across-the-board tariffs of 15%.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
8 Mar. 2026
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The Iran war is driving energy prices up and hurting economies worldwide.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The demoralizing graffiti marring the main entrance to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 360 Lenox Ave.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
12 Feb. 2026
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Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate, along with Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren, were ejected for fighting, marring what was an intriguing game between the top team in the Eastern Conference and the one featuring the NBA’s longest current win streak.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Kelly’s debut romps with the animal, real and imagined, exploring love and wounding through the animal-nature of our feelings, the precarious past and present of our human lives.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
7 Mar. 2026
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Another strike hit the eastern city of Baalbek, killing six people and wounding 15, according to state media.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Well, at least Ben is aware that his department’s lateness is compromising the performance of the entire boat.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2026
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Instead of compromising one property to improve the other, the layered architecture allows both to coexist.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That hasn’t happened, and attacks continue to fly, potentially weakening the eventual GOP nominee.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
9 Mar. 2026
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Bank of England officials will now have to weigh the risks of weakening demand in the UK economy, against surging oil and gas prices.—
Irina Anghel,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harming. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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