Synonym Chooser

How is the word baneful different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of baneful are deleterious, detrimental, noxious, and pernicious. While all these words mean "exceedingly harmful," baneful implies injury through poisoning or destroying.

the baneful notion that discipline destroys creativity

In what contexts can deleterious take the place of baneful?

While in some cases nearly identical to baneful, deleterious applies to what has an often unsuspected harmful effect.

a diet found to have deleterious effects

When is detrimental a more appropriate choice than baneful?

The words detrimental and baneful are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, detrimental implies obvious harmfulness to something specified.

the detrimental effects of excessive drinking

Where would noxious be a reasonable alternative to baneful?

The words noxious and baneful can be used in similar contexts, but noxious applies to what is both offensive and injurious to the health of a body or mind.

noxious chemical fumes

When is it sensible to use pernicious instead of baneful?

Although the words pernicious and baneful have much in common, pernicious implies irreparable harm done through evil or insidious corrupting or undermining.

the claim that pornography has a pernicious effect on society

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 baneful The baneful effects of war on public speech and freedoms in Russia have been well recorded. Fred Weir, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Dec. 2022 The impact these soldiers had on the South was baneful. New York Times, 14 Feb. 2022 To home in on what gives these peculiar primates their baneful bite, Fry and his colleagues collected the underarm secretions from a handful of wild slow lorises housed at a research station in Indonesia and isolated the proteins within. Katherine J. Wu, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Feb. 2020 We are mired in a baneful pandemic unlike anything endured for a century, parsing our lives into 14-day increments of health and survival — or not. Peter M. Leschak, Star Tribune, 31 July 2020 This resulted in all the baneful consequences of the French Revolution, which Edmund Burke so brilliantly exposed in his Reflections on the Revolution in France. Jaithirth Rao, Quartz India, 4 Nov. 2019 Chaos convincingly ebbs and flows in this rattling film, a baneful tide lapping at some of history’s most troubled shores. Richard Lawson, HWD, 20 July 2017 Chaos convincingly ebbs and flows in this rattling film, a baneful tide lapping at some of history’s most troubled shores. Richard Lawson, vanityfair.com, 20 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for baneful
Adjective
  • That might help researchers discover which technology helps what kinds of people best and which makes no impact or is harmful to brain health.
    Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
  • McNair said any delay in response from school officials and emergency responders are especially harmful.
    Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 29 July 2025
Adjective
  • The team identified three distinct behavioral phenotypes as a result of their experiments, representing the varying sensitivity of people to the adverse consequences (punishment) of their actions.
    Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 24 July 2025
  • Without such data, the systems can serve adverse, false results or fail to understand the context of a user’s query, among other issues.
    Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 22 July 2025
Adjective
  • The platform was recently accused by several state attorneys general of implementing addictive features across its family of apps that have detrimental effects on children’s mental health.
    Zach Vallese, CNBC, 23 July 2025
  • Water is a systemic need for plants of all types; however, too much water, whether supplied by rain or irrigation, is detrimental.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 20 July 2025
Adjective
  • More dangerous heat waves The Great Lakes region warmed substantially faster in the six years since the last assessment than it did in decades prior, the report shows.
    Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 24 July 2025
  • Here's what each means, according to the NWS: Heat advisory: A heat advisory is the lowest level and is issued for dangerous heat conditions that are not expected to reach the criteria for a more serious alert.
    Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 24 July 2025
Adjective
  • Expose how these programs and their curriculum are damaging and not aligned with state workforce demands.
    Lily Kepner, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
  • Despite the initial euphoria on European stock markets, strategists at UBS suggest the deal is likely to be damaging in the long run.
    Ganesh Rao, CNBC, 28 July 2025
Adjective
  • Truth be told, neither outcome would have been a bad choice.
    Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
  • The tab can easily run into thousands of dollars A bad adapter might even expose vehicles and chargers — conceivably, even your home — to cybersecurity threats.
    Mark Phelan, Freep.com, 3 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Baneful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/baneful. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on baneful

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