HARM Synonyms: 153 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

harm 1 of 2

noun

ˈhärm

Definition of harm next

as in damage

something that causes loss or pain you were lucky to survive the fire without harm no harm in trying

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harm

2 of 2

verb

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

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as in to injure

to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of the company's reputation has been harmed by allegations of crooked accounting

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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

Comparing the two administrations, most of us would choose inadequate help over active harm. —

Annie Levin, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026 Comparing social media platforms to casinos and addictive drugs, lawyer Mark Lanier delivered opening statements Monday in a landmark trial in Los Angeles that seeks to hold Instagram owner Meta and Google’s YouTube responsible for harms to children who use their products. —

Barbara Ortutay, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026

Verb

This study, put together by Sport England’s This Girl Can campaign, shows almost a third of pregnant people worry about harming their baby through exercise, and 24% feel unsure about what’s actually safe. —

Hannah Silverman, Parents, 8 Feb. 2026 Agricultural tariffs have repeatedly triggered retaliation that harms American farmers more than foreign competitors. —

Carol L. Harris, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for harm

Recent Examples of Synonyms for harm

Noun

Once it's sent to the collection agency, the credit damage is done and there's no rehabilitating that account.

— Meghan Schiller, CBS News, 14 Feb. 2026
Hendricks had developed preeclampsia, a potentially fatal complication of pregnancy involving damage to the blood vessels and high amounts of fluid loss.

— Ari Daniel, NPR, 14 Feb. 2026

Definition of damage

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“Harm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harm. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.

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Last Updated: 16 Feb 2026 - Updated example sentences

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