harmless

adjective

harm·​less ˈhärm-ləs 

1

: free from harm, liability, or loss

2

: lacking capacity or intent to injure : innocuous

a harmless joke

harmlessly adverb

harmlessness noun

Synonyms

• anodyne
• benign
• hurtless
• innocent
• innocuous
• inoffensive
• safe
• white

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 primary byproduct is helium, a harmless inert gas. —Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024

Hackers have built a whole website and set up companies using AI to make the malware appear harmless. —Fox News Staff, Fox News, 18 Dec. 2024

This is an alarming but technically harmless symptom: the nail or nails usually grow back normally on their own.2 A Quick Review Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a highly contagious illness caused by the coxsackievirus that commonly affects young children. —Sarah Bradley, Health, 15 Dec. 2024

To mitigate this risk, merchants are encouraged to include hold harmless clauses in agreements with platforms, safeguarding against financial or legal consequences from platform non-compliance. —Aleksandra Bal, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

harmless

adjective

harm·​less ˈhärm-ləs 

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