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View synonyms for harm

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

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Derived Forms

  • ˈharmer, noun

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Other Words From

  • harmer noun
  • self-harming adjective
  • un·harmed adjective
  • un·harming adjective

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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)

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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

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Idioms and Phrases

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

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Synonym Study

See damage.

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Example Sentences

The global AI ethics efforts under way today—of which there are dozens—aim to help everyone benefit from this technology, and to prevent it from causing harm.

These can include factors like transportation and shelter access, and those without the necessary money and resources have the hardest time getting out of harm’s way.

Twitter said it will evaluate a tweet’s potential to cause harm when determining whether it will be removed.

From Fortune

And, it can also make it easier for users to locate the information they’re looking for and help you get rid of underperforming content that may be doing more harm than good.

Only then can the industry produce solutions that reduce harm.

I thought about the mother, her fear of the dark, of the harm she feared might come to her daughters.

I meant no harm by it, but I remembered how this person talked, and I did it for my Mom and she was not into it.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to harm future access to those embattled communities.

Is there something wrong with trans people that drives us to self-harm?

Whether or not Hippocrates ever actually said “First, do no harm,” the axiom is central to medical ethics.

Fajardo seconds the demand of the citizens of Manila that the Audiencia be suppressed, alleging that it does more harm than good.

And if he was worried about Farmer Green's cat, why didn't he dig a hole for himself at once, and get out of harm's way?

Calkilate we should do ourselves more harm than him by shooting down his people.

These are obtained easily, whence follow the sinister reports that they give your Majesty, to the harm of the public welfare.

"I wouldn't do him any harm for the world," said Mrs. Kaye, casting down her eyes and looking very young and innocent.

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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.

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