harmless

adjective

harm·​less ˈhärm-ləs How to pronounce harmless (audio)
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
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.
The grunting, the couple now know, was not harmless. Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 July 2025 For most people, drinking a concoction of OJ, coconut water and pink salt is pretty darn harmless and could even be beneficial. Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 5 July 2025 There are also types of growth that are completely harmless but still concerning. Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025 Most are harmless but don’t have much substance or a defining message. Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for harmless

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of harmless was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Harmless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/harmless. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

harmless

adjective
harm·​less ˈhärm-ləs How to pronounce harmless (audio)
1
: free from harm
2
: unable to harm
harmlessly adverb
harmlessness noun

Legal Definition

harmless

adjective
harm·​less
1
: free from harm, liability, or loss
often used in the phrase to hold harmless
see also hold harmless
2
: lacking capacity or intent to injure
harmlessly adverb
harmlessness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on harmless

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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