harm 1 of 2

noun

ˈhärm How to pronounce harm (audio)
Definition of harmnext
as in damage
something that causes loss or pain you were lucky to survive the fire without harm no harm in trying

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

harm

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to damage
to cause bodily damage to though she wasn't harmed by the flying glass, she slipped and fell on a piece and cut her hand

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to injure
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of the company's reputation has been harmed by allegations of crooked accounting

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word harm distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of harm are damage, hurt, impair, injure, and mar. While all these words mean "to affect injuriously," harm often stresses the inflicting of pain, suffering, or loss.

careful not to harm the animals

When might damage be a better fit than harm?

While the synonyms damage and harm are close in meaning, damage suggests injury that lowers value or impairs usefulness.

a table damaged in shipping

When is it sensible to use hurt instead of harm?

The words hurt and harm are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, hurt implies inflicting a wound to the body or to the feelings.

hurt by their callous remarks

When would impair be a good substitute for harm?

The meanings of impair and harm largely overlap; however, impair suggests a making less complete or efficient by deterioration or diminution.

years of smoking had impaired his health

In what contexts can injure take the place of harm?

The words injure and harm can be used in similar contexts, but injure implies the inflicting of anything detrimental to one's looks, comfort, health, or success.

badly injured in an accident

When can mar be used instead of harm?

While in some cases nearly identical to harm, mar applies to injury that spoils perfection (as of a surface) or causes disfigurement.

the text is marred by many typos

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of harm
Noun
Meanwhile, victims of that harm may struggle to get compensation due to the lack of clarity around who had control over the AI agent. — Anat Lior, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2026 Jane Doe is seeking damages for physical injuries, emotional distress and ongoing psychological harm, according to her attorneys. — ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026
Verb
The study team gave them wooden batons and instructions to not physically harm the prisoners, but maintain law and order. — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026 Meta argued that New Mexico failed to prove that the tech giant's executives made misleading statements about privacy and that its content moderation practices harmed state residents. — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for harm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harm
  1. damage
  2. injure
  3. mar
  4. injury
  5. hurt
  6. wound
Noun
  • The twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela in June and caused extensive damage also complicated efforts toward stability in the country.
    — Chad de Guzman, Time, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The procedure does not rebuild lost cartilage or reverse structural joint damage.
    — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of damage
Verb
  • Also according to the emergency service, consecutive Russian strikes on a shopping center in Kharkiv injured four people late on Saturday, including three rescue workers.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Patrick, who was injured when his cleats became tangled in TV cords, had to first seek redress through a grievance procedure before being able to pursue a lawsuit.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of injure
Verb
  • Mass protests in France are often marred by violence on the fringes of otherwise peaceful marches, leading to clashes with police.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
  • There were also parts that were not as successful — mainly the parts marred by his physical unreadiness.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of mar
Noun
  • Not only were LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges absent after high-profile summertime trades, but returnees Kon Knueppel and Coby White were also missing because of injury.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 22 Oct. 2026
  • In addition to a person in his car dying from injuries sustained in the crash, another passenger was severely hurt, the release said.
    — Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of injury
Verb
  • Jackdaw to have limited impact on energy bills The British government has faced criticism from some corners that its climate policies have hurt industry and energy security.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Among the report’s most concerning findings, enterprises often make software purchases that IT heads believe could hurt the organization.
    — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of hurt
Verb
  • Two women, ages 50 and 60, were killed and dozens of other people were wounded in a Russian strike on a market in Lozova, in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region, said Oleh Syniehubov, head of the regional military administration.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Three more soldiers were lightly wounded in the attack in the city of Hebron, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
    — Jeremy Diamond, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of wound

Browse Nearby Words

harlotry
harm
harm's way
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Cite this Entry

“Harm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harm. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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