harm

[ hahrm ]

/ hɑrm /

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See synonyms for harm on Thesaurus.com

noun

physical injury or mental damage; hurt: to do him bodily harm.

moral injury; evil; wrong.

verb (used with object)

to do or cause harm to; injure; damage; hurt: to harm one's reputation.

OTHER WORDS FOR harm

3 maltreat, abuse.

See synonyms for harm on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR harm

1 benefit.

3 help.

See antonyms for harm on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of harm

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

synonym study for harm

1, 2. See damage.

OTHER WORDS FROM harm

harmer, nounself-harming, adjectiveun·harmed, adjectiveun·harm·ing, adjective

Other definitions for harm (2 of 2)

HARM

[ hahrm ]

/ hɑrm /

noun Military.

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

Origin of HARM

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use harm in a sentence

This kind of prejudice harms innocent people, whether Muslim or mistakenly thought to be Muslim.
How Not to Reply to a Racist Tweet|Tauriq Moosa|August 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Hamas is a vile organization that manipulates and harms the Palestinian people instead of helping them.
Why I’m Against Hamas, Against What Israel Is Doing, and For Judaism|Sally Kohn|July 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But even if you blame the parties equally, or blame the Democrats more, you should lament this: It harms the United States.
American Statesmanship Is Depressingly MIA on Border Kids, MH17 & Gaza|Michael Tomasky|July 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Asked if such sex could harm women the same way it harms gay men, Morton thought for a moment.
Crucifixes, Gorillas, and Adult Diapers: My March Against Gay Marriage|Olivia Nuzzi|June 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The only person this entirely unneccesary kerfuffle harms is Kate Middleton herself.
Kate Middleton's History of Flesh-Flashing Wardrobe Malfunctions|Tom Sykes|May 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If it spreads beyond his premises and harms others his liability for the harm must be grounded on his negligence.
Putnam's Handy Law Book for the Layman|Albert Sidney Bolles
Black Will had been mutilated, and Walker nearly drowned, but "the close contriver of all harms" had kept out of harm's way.
It Is Never Too Late to Mend|Charles Reade
Where God gives, envy harms not; and where he gives not, no labour avails.
Dictionary of Quotations from Ancient and Modern, English and Foreign Sources|James Wood
Moreover, he calls himself the Son of God, and disturbs the foundations on which society rests, and therefore harms people.
Let us follow Him|Henryk Sienkiewicz
We have gotten over the harms done us by the war of 1812, but not over some of those done us by Jackson's presidency.
Life On The Mississippi, Complete|Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)

British Dictionary definitions for harm

harm

/ (hɑːm) /

noun

physical or mental injury or damage

moral evil or wrongdoing

verb

(tr) to injure physically, morally, or mentally

Derived forms of harm

harmer, noun

Word Origin for harm

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

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with harm

harm

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

harm

OTHER WORDS FOR harm

OPPOSITES FOR harm

Origin of harm

synonym study for harm

OTHER WORDS FROM harm

Other definitions for harm (2 of 2)

Origin of HARM

Words related to harm

How to use harm in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for harm

Derived forms of harm

Word Origin for harm

Other Idioms and Phrases with harm