as in detrimental
causing or capable of causing harm
DDT has been proven to be extremely harmful to the environment
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Recent Examples of harmful
Another blue-green algae alert for Lake Yale The Florida Department of Health in Lake County (DOH-Lake) has issued a public health alert for the presence of harmful blue-green algae toxins in Lake Yale-Northwest Shore, following the results of a water sample taken Dec. 5.
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Orlando Sentinel Staff, Orlando Sentinel, 19 Dec. 2024
Pasteurization kills all these harmful germs, including H5N1, a recent government study shows.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN, 19 Dec. 2024
By ending wasteful subsidies on gas equipment, the PSC can free up funds to help more families and businesses make the switch to clean, efficient appliances such as heat pumps, which offer state-of-the-art heating and cooling year-round without harmful air pollution.
—Susan Miller, Baltimore Sun, 19 Dec. 2024
Plenty of research finds that supplements aren’t all that beneficial for the average person, and may in some cases even be harmful or expose users to dangerous substances.
—Jamie Ducharme, TIME, 17 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for harmful 
Orlando Sentinel Staff, Orlando Sentinel, 19 Dec. 2024
Pasteurization kills all these harmful germs, including H5N1, a recent government study shows.
—Brenda Goodman, CNN, 19 Dec. 2024
By ending wasteful subsidies on gas equipment, the PSC can free up funds to help more families and businesses make the switch to clean, efficient appliances such as heat pumps, which offer state-of-the-art heating and cooling year-round without harmful air pollution.
—Susan Miller, Baltimore Sun, 19 Dec. 2024
Plenty of research finds that supplements aren’t all that beneficial for the average person, and may in some cases even be harmful or expose users to dangerous substances.
—Jamie Ducharme, TIME, 17 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for harmful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harmful
Adjective
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The disparity between men’s and women’s educational attainments has had a detrimental impact on family formation and birth rates.Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 31 Dec. 2024
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This would be detrimental if the Commanders were still searching for a playoff spot.David Faris, Newsweek, 30 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Triggering a damaging government shutdown would hurt families who are gathering to meet with their loved ones and endanger the basic services Americans from veterans to Social Security recipients rely on.Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024
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Some of the strongest evidence comes from lab studies using animals as well as what's already known about the damaging effects of chemicals added to plastics.Will Stone, NPR, 18 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Many drivers admitted to doing dangerous behaviors at least once in the previous 30 days.Tanya Mohn, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
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More than two dozen recalls were initiated during December for reasons including contamination with dangerous pathogens like listeria and salmonella and mislabeling mistakes that could expose vulnerable people to potentially deadly allergic reactions.George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 30 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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If the players continued their representation effort and the board denied it, the new general counsel could pull the ULP on grounds the union matter was rendered moot by an adverse agency decision on representation.Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 31 Dec. 2024
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Here is what the research has to say about MSG's adverse effects.Lana Barhum, Verywell Health, 31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The Senate Budget Committee, on the other hand, warned in a recent report that the combination of rising homeowners insurance premiums and historically high home prices and mortgage rates in Florida could lead to a housing crash that might be worse than the one in 2008.David Faris, Newsweek, 30 Dec. 2024
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No, this hasn’t been the San Francisco 49ers’ worst season ever.Matt Barrows, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near harmful
Cite this Entry
“Harmful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harmful. Accessed 8 Jan. 2025.
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