HARM Synonyms: 153 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'harm' distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of harm are damage , hurt , impair , injure , and mar . While all these words mean "to affect injuriously," harm often stresses the inflicting of pain, suffering, or loss. // careful not to harm the animals

Q: When might 'damage' be a better fit than 'harm'?

While the synonyms damage and harm are close in meaning, damage suggests injury that lowers value or impairs usefulness. // a table damaged in shipping

Q: When is it sensible to use 'hurt' instead of 'harm'?

The words hurt and harm are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, hurt implies inflicting a wound to the body or to the feelings. // hurt by their callous remarks

Q: When would 'impair' be a good substitute for 'harm'?

The meanings of impair and harm largely overlap; however, impair suggests a making less complete or efficient by deterioration or diminution. // years of smoking had impaired his health

Q: In what contexts can 'injure' take the place of 'harm'?

The words injure and harm can be used in similar contexts, but injure implies the inflicting of anything detrimental to one's looks, comfort, health, or success. // badly injured in an accident

Q: When can 'mar' be used instead of 'harm'?

While in some cases nearly identical to harm , mar applies to injury that spoils perfection (as of a surface) or causes disfigurement. // the text is marred by many typos

harm 1 of 2

noun

ˈhärm

Definition of harm next

as in damage

something that causes loss or pain you were lucky to survive the fire without harm no harm in trying

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

harm

2 of 2

verb

as in to damage

to cause bodily damage to though she wasn't harmed by the flying glass, she slipped and fell on a piece and cut her hand

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to injure

to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of the company's reputation has been harmed by allegations of crooked accounting

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word harm distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of harm are damage, hurt, impair, injure, and mar. While all these words mean "to affect injuriously," harm often stresses the inflicting of pain, suffering, or loss.

careful not to harm the animals

When might damage be a better fit than harm?

While the synonyms damage and harm are close in meaning, damage suggests injury that lowers value or impairs usefulness.

a table damaged in shipping

When is it sensible to use hurt instead of harm?

The words hurt and harm are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, hurt implies inflicting a wound to the body or to the feelings.

hurt by their callous remarks

When would impair be a good substitute for harm?

The meanings of impair and harm largely overlap; however, impair suggests a making less complete or efficient by deterioration or diminution.

years of smoking had impaired his health

In what contexts can injure take the place of harm?

The words injure and harm can be used in similar contexts, but injure implies the inflicting of anything detrimental to one's looks, comfort, health, or success.

badly injured in an accident

When can mar be used instead of harm?

While in some cases nearly identical to harm, mar applies to injury that spoils perfection (as of a surface) or causes disfigurement.

the text is marred by many typos

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 harm

Noun

But if suspicious transactions move without friction, the platform exposes customers, businesses and the broader ecosystem to real harm. —

Muhammad Azeem, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026 An article of neo-Brandeisian faith is that previous administrations, in both parties, adopted a narrow definition of consumer harm, focused entirely on prices, in antitrust policy. —

Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 26 May 2026

Verb

That could include people who are harmed by the fund’s eventual beneficiaries or who are expecting payment from the DOJ’s preexisting judgment fund, which will feed the new fund. —

Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 18 May 2026 Wahl said a landscaper nearby was shot at but was not harmed. —

Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 18 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for harm

Recent Examples of Synonyms for harm

Noun

Officials also displayed a map that shows the blast zone if the tank fails and there is an explosion, as well as where the most severe damage of infrastructure is expected.

— Paris Barraza, USA Today, 24 May 2026
Two minutes later, there was a report of severe damage in the area of County Roads 600 W and 900 N, with a request for a full response from Lowell, Morocco and Lake Village Township fire departments.

— Amy Lavalley, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026