Synonyms: harmful
Definition: causing or capable of causing harm
Usage: too much sun is harmful to the skin; harmful effects of smoking
Similar words: abusive
Definition: characterized by physical or psychological maltreatment
Usage: abusive punishment; argued...that foster homes are abusive
Similar words: bad
Definition: capable of harming
Usage: bad air; smoking is bad for you
Similar words: bruising
Definition: causing mental or emotional injury
Usage: a bruising experience; protected from the bruising facts of battle- John Mason Brown
Similar words: hurtful, injurious, deleterious
Definition: harmful to living things
Usage: deleterious chemical additives
Similar words: defamatory, denigrating, denigrative, denigratory, libellous, libelous, calumniatory, calumnious, slanderous
Definition: (used of statements) harmful and often untrue; tending to discredit or malign
Similar words: ruinous, catastrophic
Definition: extremely harmful; bringing physical or financial ruin
Usage: a catastrophic depression; catastrophic illness; a ruinous course of action
Similar words: counterproductive
Definition: tending to hinder the achievement of a goal
Similar words: detrimental, damaging, prejudicial, prejudicious
Definition: (sometimes followed by `to') causing harm or injury
Usage: damaging to career and reputation; the reporter's coverage resulted in prejudicial publicity for the defendant
Similar words: ill
Definition: resulting in suffering or adversity
Usage: ill effects; it's an ill wind that blows no good
Similar words: insidious, pernicious, subtle
Definition: working or spreading in a hidden and usually injurious way
Usage: glaucoma is an insidious disease; a subtle poison
Similar words: mischievous
Definition: deliberately causing harm or damage
Usage: mischievous rumors and falsehoods
Similar words: nocent
Definition: having a tendency to cause harm
Similar words: stabbing, wounding
Definition: causing physical or especially psychological injury
Usage: a stabbing remark; wounding and false charges of disloyalty