1
: free from harm, liability, or loss
2
: lacking capacity or intent to injure : innocuous
a harmless joke
harmlessly
adverb
harmlessness
noun
Examples of harmless in a Sentence
His ideas seem harmless enough.
We're just having a bit of harmless fun.
It was just a harmless joke.
Recent Examples on the Web
The drug was thought to be harmless and in Germany was sold over the counter.
—
David Armstrong, ProPublica, 8 May 2025
While most spiders found in homes across the country usually are harmless, some can be venomous.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 May 2025
Sunspots are usually harmless, while skin cancer requires immediate treatment to keep it from progressing.5
There Are Different Types of Skin Cancer
Unlike sunspots, there are different types of skin cancer, each with its own signs and symptoms.
—Carrie Madormo, Health, 6 May 2025
These fungi are sometimes tied to the development of dandruff and other skin conditions, but mainly, they’re considered an abundant and mostly harmless member of the human skin microbiome, albeit a surprisingly understudied one.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for harmless
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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David Armstrong, ProPublica, 8 May 2025
While most spiders found in homes across the country usually are harmless, some can be venomous.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 May 2025
Sunspots are usually harmless, while skin cancer requires immediate treatment to keep it from progressing.5
There Are Different Types of Skin Cancer
Unlike sunspots, there are different types of skin cancer, each with its own signs and symptoms.
—Carrie Madormo, Health, 6 May 2025
These fungi are sometimes tied to the development of dandruff and other skin conditions, but mainly, they’re considered an abundant and mostly harmless member of the human skin microbiome, albeit a surprisingly understudied one.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for harmless
Cite this Entry
“Harmless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/harmless. Accessed 19 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
harmless
adjective
harm·less
ˈhärm-ləs 
1
: free from harm
2
: unable to harm
harmlessly
adverb
harmlessness
noun
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