harmless

American  

[hahrm-lis] / ˈhɑrm lɪs /

adjective

1. without the power or desire to do harm; innocuous.

   He looks mean but he's harmless; a harmless Halloween prank.

   Synonyms:

   benign, unobjectionable, innocent, mild, inoffensive

2. without injury; unhurt; unharmed.

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idioms

1. hold harmless, to relieve from responsibility or liability for any damage or loss. Also save harmless.

harmless British  

/ ˈhɑːmlɪs /

adjective

1. not causing any physical or mental damage or injury

2. unlikely to annoy or worry people

   a harmless sort of man

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Other Word Forms

• harmlessly adverb
• harmlessness noun

Etymology

Origin of harmless

1250–1300; Middle English; harm, -less

Example Sentences

She wants social media platforms to introduce identification verification for an account, adding: "A fake profile might look harmless to some, but it can destroy reputations, relationships, and mental health."

From BBC

What starts out as a seemingly harmless diversion quickly becomes a trap.

From The Wall Street Journal

Despite its dramatic name and unusual appearance, this type of rain is entirely harmless.

From BBC

It may seem, for the most part, like harmless fun.

From BBC

They are “not the harmless environmentalists they pretend to be,” Starmer said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• gentle
• innocent
• innocuous
• inoffensive
• naive
• nontoxic
• painless
• powerless
• simple