Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense harms, present participle harming, past tense, past participle harmed
1. verb
To harm a person or animal means to cause them physical injury, usually on purpose.
The hijackers seemed anxious not to harm anyone. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: injure, hurt, wound, abuse More Synonyms of harm
2. uncountable noun
Harm is physical injury to a person or an animal which is usually caused on purpose.
All dogs are capable of doing harm to human beings. [+ to]
3. verb
To harm a thing, or sometimes a person, means to damage them or make them less effective or successful than they were.
...a warning that the product may harm the environment. [VERB noun]
Low-priced imports will harm the industry. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: damage, hurt, ruin, mar More Synonyms of harm
4. uncountable noun
Harm is the damage to something which is caused by a particular course of action.
The abuse of your powers does harm to all other officers who do their job properly.
To cut taxes would probably do the economy more harm than good.
Synonyms: damage, loss, ill, hurt More Synonyms of harm
5.
See sb will come to no harm/no harm will come to sb
6.
See do no/little harm; no harm in doing
7.
See do no harm/do sb no harm
8.
See no harm done
9.
See in harm's way
10.
See out of harm's way
More Synonyms of harm
harm in British English
(hɑːm)
noun
1.
physical or mental injury or damage
2.
moral evil or wrongdoing
verb
3. (transitive)
to injure physically, morally, or mentally
Derived forms
harmer (ˈharmer)
noun
Word origin
Old English hearm; related to Old Norse harmr grief, Old High German harm injury, Old Slavonic sramǔ disgrace
harm in American English
(hɑrm)
noun
1.
hurt; injury; damage
2.
moral wrong; evil
verb transitive
3.
to do harm to; hurt, damage, etc.
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈinjure
Derived forms
harmer (ˈharmer)
noun
Word origin
ME < OE hearm, akin to Ger harm < IE base *ormo-, pain, torment > MPers šarm, shame
Examples of 'harm' in a sentence
harm
In most cases no harm is caused.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
The products are often rejected by watchdogs because of their potential for harming the environment.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Did he accept a lift from strangers and come to harm?
The Sun (2016)
Somebody could come to serious harm and anyone doing it could suffer very serious health side-effects.
The Sun (2016)
Business leaders warned that the wave of strike action was harming the southeast's economy.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Hurt doesn't mean harm when it comes to the back.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Such traders are trying neither to help nor to harm the British economy.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
A bigger exodus could harm the industry.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
At a hearing last month he pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm and criminal damage and was sentenced at Maidstone crown court yesterday.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
This is of far more harm to our environment.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
This routine procedure could be doing more harm than good.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
What possible harm could come of it?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Is the pound harming industry and exports?
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Then the punishment of individuals invariably took account of the harm or damage done to the victim.
Coyle, Andrew & Stern, Vivien The Prisons We Deserve (1994)
By damaging the photograph we fear that we will harm the person.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
No animals were harmed in the making of this owl.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It is not good enough for managers to say that the player did not mean harm.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It said problems with sovereign debt could still harm the global economy.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
They decline when habitats are destroyed and when man harms the environment.
The Sun (2010)
Proof that defeat can do as much good as harm.
The Sun (2011)
We are afraid she may have come to harm.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
He is seeking damages for harm to his reputation and career.
The Sun (2015)
He should ensure that anyone who harms them gets a massive prison sentence with no parole.
The Sun (2006)
Big industrial power users are warning that high prices and the prospect of power cuts are harming competitiveness.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
They put themselves in harm's way day after day.
The Sun (2011)
At this stage, they can be cut off without harming the plant.
Eddison, Sydney A Patchwork Garden: Unexpected Pleasures from a Country Garden (1990)
He didn't cause any bodily harm to the person.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The move'could harm the aviation industry when it is facing huge problems '.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
In other languages
harm
British English: harm /hɑːm/ VERB
To harm a person or animal means to cause them physical injury, usually on purpose.
The boys didn't mean to harm anyone.
American English: harm
Arabic: يَضُرُ
Brazilian Portuguese: prejudicar
Chinese: 伤害
Croatian: ozlijediti
Czech: ublížit
Danish: skade
Dutch: kwaad doen
European Spanish: hacer daño perjuicio
Finnish: vahingoittaa
French: nuire
German: schaden
Greek: βλάπτω
Italian: danneggiare
Japanese: 害する
Korean: 해치다
Norwegian: skade
Polish: zaszkodzić
European Portuguese: prejudicar
Romanian: a răni
Russian: вредить
Latin American Spanish: hacer daño
Swedish: skada
Thai: ทำอันตราย
Turkish: zarar vermek
Ukrainian: шкода
Vietnamese: làm hại
British English: harm NOUN
Harm is physical injury to a person or an animal which is usually caused on purpose.
All dogs are capable of doing harm to human beings.
American English: harm
Brazilian Portuguese: dano
Chinese: 伤害故意的
European Spanish: daño
French: mal
German: Schaden
Italian: male
Japanese: 危害
Korean: 상해
European Portuguese: dano
Latin American Spanish: daño
All related terms of 'harm'
self-harm
If you self-harm , you deliberately hurt yourself, for example by cutting yourself, because of mental illness .
no harm done
If you say that there is no harm done , you are telling someone not to worry about something that has happened because it has not caused any serious injury or damage .
actual bodily harm
Actual bodily harm is a criminal offence in which someone gives another person a minor injury.
in harm's way
If someone is put in harm's way , they are caused to be in a dangerous situation.
grievous bodily harm
If someone is accused of grievous bodily harm , they are accused of causing very serious physical injury to someone. The abbreviation → GBH is often used.
harm the environment
The environment is the natural world of land, sea, air, plants, and animals.
out of harm's way
If someone or something is out of harm's way , they are in a safe place away from danger or from the possibility of being damaged .
wouldn't harm a fly
If you say that someone wouldn't hurt a fly or wouldn't harm a fly , you are emphasizing that they are very kind and gentle .
do no harm/do sb no harm
If you say that something would do no harm , or do someone no harm , you are recommending a course of action which you think is worthwhile , helpful , or useful .
do no/little harm; no harm in doing
If you say it does no harm to do something or there is no harm in doing something, you mean that it might be worth doing, and you will not be blamed for doing it.
sb will come to no harm/no harm will come to sb
If you say that someone or something will come to no harm or that no harm will come to them, you mean that they will not be hurt or damaged in any way .
someone wouldn't hurt a fly
said to mean that someone is very kind and gentle
Chinese translation of 'harm'
harm
(hɑːm)
vt
(= damage) 损(損)坏(壞) (sǔnhuài)
(= injure) 伤(傷)害 (shānghài)
n(u)
(= damage) 损(損)害 (sǔnhài)
(= injury) 伤(傷)害 (shānghài)
to mean no harm没(沒)有恶(惡)意 (méiyǒu èyì)
out of harm's way在安全的地方 (zài ānquán de dìfang)
there's no harm (in) trying试(試)一试(試)也无(無)妨 (shì yī shì yě wúfáng)
to come to no harm平安无(無)事 (píngān wúshì)
to do more harm than good得不偿(償)失 (dé bù cháng shī)
it wouldn't do any harm (for you) to get an answerphone买(買)个(個)录(錄)音电(電)话(話)(对(對)你)没(沒)什么(麼)害处(處) (mǎi gè lùyīn diànhuà (duì nǐ) méi shénme hàichu)
All related terms of 'harm'
self-harm
自残(殘) zì cán
to mean no harm
没(沒)有恶(惡)意 méiyǒu èyì
grievous bodily harm
( Law ) 严(嚴)重的人身伤(傷)害 yánzhòng de rénshēn shānghài
to come to no harm
平安无(無)事 píngān wúshì
there's no harm (in) trying
试(試)一试(試)也无(無)妨 shì yī shì yě wúfáng
to do more harm than good
得不偿(償)失 dé bù cháng shī
it wouldn't do any harm (for you) to get an answerphone
买(買)个(個)录(錄)音电(電)话(話)(对(對)你)没(沒)什么(麼)害处(處) mǎi gè lùyīn diànhuà (duì nǐ) méi shénme hàichu
1 (verb)
Definition
to injure physically, morally, or mentally
I removed the splinter carefully, anxious not to harm him further.
Synonyms
injure
A bomb exploded, seriously injuring five people.
hurt
Did they hurt you?
wound
The driver of the bus was wounded by shrapnel.
abuse
People responsible for abusing prisoners must be held accountable.
molest
He was accused of sexually molesting a colleague.
ill-treat
The rescued hostages said they had not been ill-treated.
maltreat
He was not maltreated during his detention.
lay a finger on
ill-use
Opposites
heal
,
cure
2 (verb)
Definition
to injure physically, morally, or mentally
a warning that the product may harm the environment
Synonyms
damage
The strong winds damaged the fence.
hurt
They don't want to hurt their own careers.
ruin
The original decor was all ruined during renovation.
mar
A number of problems marred the smooth running of the event.
spoil
It is important not to let mistakes spoil your life.
impair
The bright sunshine was impairing my vision.
blemish
She wasn't about to blemish that pristine record.
Nobody wanted to blemish his reputation at that time.
1 (noun)
Definition
physical, moral, or mental injury
a release of radioactivity which would cause harm
Synonyms
injury
The two other passengers escaped serious injury.
suffering
It has caused terrible suffering to animals.
damage
There have been many reports of minor damage to buildings.
ill
She is responsible for many of the country's ills.
hurt
I am sorry for any hurt that it may have caused.
distress
Her mouth grew stiff with pain and distress.
2 (noun)
It would probably do the economy more harm than good.
Synonyms
damage
loss
His death is a great loss to us.
ill
hurt
misfortune
He had had his full share of misfortunes.
mischief
The conference was a platform to cause political mischief.
detriment
He supported his partner's career to the detriment of his own.
impairment
disservice
Opposites
good
,
help
,
benefit
,
aid
,
gain
,
improvement
,
assistance
,
blessing
,
boon
,
reparation
,
help
,
better
,
benefit
,
aid
,
improve
,
repair
,
assist
,
alleviate
3 (noun)
There was no harm in keeping the money.
Synonyms
sin
Sin can be forgiven, but never condoned.
wrong
He doesn't seem to know the difference between right and wrong.
evil
We are being attacked by the forces of evil.
wickedness
moral arguments about the wickedness of nuclear weapons
They have sunk to new levels of wickedness.
immorality
a reflection of our society's immorality
iniquity
He rails against the iniquities of capitalism.
sinfulness
vice
a den of vice and violence
Opposites
good
,
goodness
,
righteousness
idiom
See in or out of harm's way
Additional synonyms
in the sense of abuse
Definition
to ill-treat violently
People responsible for abusing prisoners must be held accountable.
Synonyms
ill-treat,
wrong,
damage,
hurt,
injure,
harm,
mar,
spoil,
oppress,
maul,
molest,
dump on (slang, US),
impose upon,
manhandle,
rough up,
brutalize,
shit on (taboo, slang),
maltreat,
misapply,
handle roughly,
knock about or around
in the sense of blemish
Definition
to spoil or tarnish
She wasn't about to blemish that pristine record.Nobody wanted to blemish his reputation at that time.
Synonyms
dishonour,
mark,
damage,
spot,
injure,
ruin,
mar,
spoil,
stain,
blur,
disgrace,
impair,
taint,
tarnish,
blot,
smudge,
disfigure,
sully,
deface,
blotch,
besmirch,
smirch
in the sense of detriment
Definition
disadvantage or damage
He supported his partner's career to the detriment of his own.