Harmful: meaning, definitions and examples

💀

Add to dictionary

harmful

[ ˈhɑːrmfʊl ]

^{Context #1}

toxic

causing or capable of causing harm; injurious.

Synonyms

damaging, dangerous, destructive, toxic

Examples of usage

Exposure to harmful chemicals can have serious health consequences.
Smoking is harmful to your health.

^{Context #2}

negative

having a detrimental effect on someone or something.

Synonyms

adverse, deleterious, detrimental, unfavorable

Examples of usage

His harmful comments hurt her feelings.
The harmful effects of pollution are evident in the environment.

Translations

Translations of the word "harmful" in other languages:

🇵🇹 prejudicial

🇮🇳 हानिकारक

🇩🇪 schädlich

🇮🇩 berbahaya

🇺🇦 шкідливий

🇵🇱 szkodliwy

🇯🇵 有害な

🇫🇷 nocif

🇪🇸 perjudicial

🇹🇷 zararlı

🇰🇷 해로운

🇸🇦 ضار

🇨🇿 škodlivý

🇸🇰 škodlivý

🇨🇳 有害的

🇸🇮 škodljiv

🇮🇸 skaðlegur

🇰🇿 зиянды

🇬🇪 ზიანის მომტანი

🇦🇿 zərərli

🇲🇽 perjudicial

Word origin

The word 'harmful' originated from the Old English words 'hearm' (meaning injury or evil) and 'full' (meaning full of). Over time, the meaning evolved to refer to something causing harm or damage. The concept of harmful substances or actions has been recognized throughout history, leading to the development of laws and regulations to protect individuals and the environment from harm.