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Synonyms

HARM

1 American  
[hahrm] / hɑrm /

noun

Military.

  1. a U.S. air-to-surface missile designed to detect and destroy radar sites by homing on their emissions.

harm 2 American  
[hahrm] / hɑrm /

noun

  1. physical injury or mental damage; hurt.

    to do him bodily harm.
    Antonyms:
    benefit

  2. moral injury; evil; wrong.

verb (used with object)

  1. to do or cause harm to; injure; damage; hurt.

    to harm one's reputation.
    Synonyms:
    abuse, maltreat
    Antonyms:
    help
harm British  
/ hɑːm /

noun

  1. physical or mental injury or damage

  2. moral evil or wrongdoing

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. (tr) to injure physically, morally, or mentally

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
harm Idioms  

  1. see do one wrong (harm); out of harm's way.

Related Words

See damage.

Other Word Forms

  • harmer noun
  • self-harming adjective
  • unharmed adjective
  • unharming adjective

Etymology

Origin of HARM1

H(igh-speed) A(nti) R(adiation) M(issile)

Origin of harm1

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English hearm; cognate with German Harm, Old Norse harmr

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He was nervous about everything; always assessing the world, every stick and stone, every car and street, every instrument in the kitchen, for how it might harm Christopher.

From Literature

We were splashing around, shivering and laughing, and Gran ran to the shore waving her mighty arms, warning us we were doing irreparable harm to our gallbladders.

From Literature

A 10% cap would force lenders to cease providing credit cards to higher-risk borrowers and to tighten other provisions, harming those who rely on credit to smooth their consumption.

From Barron's

"We want to give children the best possible chance to thrive, free from the pressure of constant connectivity and potential harm," said Laurie Hughes, Ceredigion's senior advisory teacher for wellbeing.

From BBC

He said he was "deeply sorry" for the harm caused, but insisted the hospital had acted "incredibly quickly" once concerns were raised.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.