harm

¹

[hahrm]

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

²

[hahrm]

noun

Military.

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

harm

/ hɑːm /

noun

1. physical or mental injury or damage

2. moral evil or wrongdoing

verb

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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of harm¹

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

Origin of harm²

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of harm¹

Old English hearm; related to Old Norse harmr grief, Old High German harm injury, Old Slavonic sramǔ disgrace

Idioms and Phrases

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

Synonym Study

See damage.

Example Sentences

Two men accused of plotting to kill Jewish people in Manchester planned to cause "untold harm" after buying assault rifles capable of killing hundreds of people, a court has heard.

Read more on BBC

“And it is causing irreparable harm to California, our Nation’s democratic traditions, and the rule of law.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

A decision by the NHS to redeploy health visitors during the pandemic was "fundamentally flawed" and "children were harmed" as a result, the head of a health visiting charity has told the Covid inquiry.

Read more on BBC

Obviously, the harm and destruction were terrible things.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But as of Tuesday, four workers have claimed they were harmed in the incident, according to a lawsuit filed in Texas.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• abuse 
• damage 
• hurt 
• impair 
• inconvenience 
• maim 
• mar 
• outrage 
• prejudice 
• ruin 
• sabotage 
• sap 
• shatter 
• shock 
• tarnish 
• trample 
• traumatize 
• undermine 
• wreck