harmless

adjective

ˈhärm-ləs How to pronounce harmless (audio)
Definition of harmlessnext
as in benign
not causing or being capable of causing injury or hurt a perfectly harmless little spider

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 harmless Rogers testified at his trial that the questions were harmless. — Eamon Javers, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026 Coercion, unnecessary restraint, punishment and attempts to suppress harmless autistic characteristics should never be defended simply because someone calls it ABA. — Robin Koncilja, Denver Post, 28 Sep. 2026 Some belongings are too personal, while others require an extra layer of protection Realtors can’t provide, and a few seemingly harmless items can distract buyers from your home entirely. — Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2026 But the seemingly harmless weekend turns into a game of manipulation, and power games. — Annika Pham, Variety, 25 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for harmless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harmless
  1. benign
  2. safe
  3. innocent
  4. innocuous
  5. inoffensive
  6. healthy
Adjective
  • Then, findings are scored from 1 to 5 — 1 means a result is benign or normal, while 5 means something is emergent or critical.
    — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 29 Sep. 2026
  • And while Gen Z is bringing new expectations to the workplace, this benign habit could potentially impact their odds of landing a job.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of benign
Adjective
  • According to MoDOT, the full closure will allow construction to be completed quicker, safer and more cost-effectively than keeping lanes open.
    — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Plus, its 18-inch USB cable ensures a fast, stable connection while also being long enough to keep the HDD at a safe distance.
    — George Yang, PC Magazine, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of safe
Adjective
  • Since then, Verity had been faking her vegetative state in order to … that part doesn’t entirely make sense, but the point is Lowen and Jeremy killed an innocent woman.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The suspects are innocent unless proven guilty by proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of innocent
Adjective
  • My main issue with these beloved and mostly innocuous $16 drinking glasses is less about their design and more about their never-ending trail of replicas.
    — Francesca Krempa, Bon Appetit Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026
  • This has made some machine translations comically inaccurate, sometimes turning innocuous words into vulgar references in English.
    — Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of innocuous
Adjective
  • The reaction of longtime fans to a packaging refresh tends to vary, but these new labels seem to be pretty inoffensive.
    — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Craven similarly replicates the formula of inoffensive statement versus misogynistic backlash.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of inoffensive
Adjective
  • Award-winning chef Kai Mueller has created a large and unusual menu that leans into the location, with a much healthier twist (all dishes that are safe to have on the detox programme are clearly marked).
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • An annual average can appear healthy while Tuesdays and softer months create the downside.
    — Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of healthy

Browse Nearby Words

harming
harmless
harmlessness
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Cite this Entry

“Harmless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harmless. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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