Synonym Chooser

How is the word baneful different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of baneful are deleterious, detrimental, noxious, and pernicious. While all these words mean "exceedingly harmful," baneful implies injury through poisoning or destroying.

the baneful notion that discipline destroys creativity

In what contexts can deleterious take the place of baneful?

While in some cases nearly identical to baneful, deleterious applies to what has an often unsuspected harmful effect.

a diet found to have deleterious effects

When is detrimental a more appropriate choice than baneful?

The words detrimental and baneful are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, detrimental implies obvious harmfulness to something specified.

the detrimental effects of excessive drinking

Where would noxious be a reasonable alternative to baneful?

The words noxious and baneful can be used in similar contexts, but noxious applies to what is both offensive and injurious to the health of a body or mind.

noxious chemical fumes

When is it sensible to use pernicious instead of baneful?

Although the words pernicious and baneful have much in common, pernicious implies irreparable harm done through evil or insidious corrupting or undermining.

the claim that pornography has a pernicious effect on society

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 baneful The baneful effects of war on public speech and freedoms in Russia have been well recorded. Fred Weir, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Dec. 2022 The impact these soldiers had on the South was baneful. New York Times, 14 Feb. 2022 To home in on what gives these peculiar primates their baneful bite, Fry and his colleagues collected the underarm secretions from a handful of wild slow lorises housed at a research station in Indonesia and isolated the proteins within. Katherine J. Wu, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Feb. 2020 We are mired in a baneful pandemic unlike anything endured for a century, parsing our lives into 14-day increments of health and survival — or not. Peter M. Leschak, Star Tribune, 31 July 2020 This resulted in all the baneful consequences of the French Revolution, which Edmund Burke so brilliantly exposed in his Reflections on the Revolution in France. Jaithirth Rao, Quartz India, 4 Nov. 2019 Chaos convincingly ebbs and flows in this rattling film, a baneful tide lapping at some of history’s most troubled shores. Richard Lawson, HWD, 20 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for baneful
Adjective
  • Test results from Consumer Reports found potentially harmful chemicals in roughly half of the formula products.
    Geoff Harris, Baltimore Sun, 20 Mar. 2025
  • This can be extremely harmful to the lungs of at-risk people, including children whose lungs are still developing, pregnant women, older adults and those with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or diabetes, according to the American Lung Assn.
    Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The takeover offer will be subject to customary closing conditions including market and business-related material, adverse change clauses and regulatory approval.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2025
  • No adverse events were reported after six weeks of treatment.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • But even with the buffer, extended time with a 200 percent wine tariff would be detrimental to Sinzer’s businesses and restaurants across America.
    Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Those two-putts down the stretch were not detrimental, but did allow Spaun to stay in the tournament.
    Mark Davis, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Africa, where the World Health Organization has deemed skin bleaching a dangerous and common phenomenon, is no exception.
    Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Crowds are more dangerous when the stakes are superficial, for instance, rushing into a Best Buy on Black Friday.
    Rascal Kemble-Curry, New York Daily News, 22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • That meant a cocktail of damaging offensive droughts, an inability to control ball-handlers off the dribble, an inability to stop sustained runs, too many offensive rebounds and put-backs by the opponent, mindless turnovers and second half collapses.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 16 Mar. 2025
  • The National Weather Service predicted severe thunderstorms with damaging winds and a few tornadoes in the afternoon and evening across parts of the Ohio Valley into the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast.
    Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 16 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, the Heat has been among the NBA’s worst teams in the league since Butler’s departure.
    Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 23 Mar. 2025
  • The most common reason a cruise ship skips a port is bad weather.
    David Nikel, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Baneful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/baneful. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on baneful

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