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Harmful vs Hurtful - What's the difference?

harmful | hurtful | Synonyms |

Hurtful is a synonym of harmful.



As adjectives the difference between harmful and hurtful

is that harmful is of a kind likely to be damaging; injurious while hurtful is tending to impair or damage; injurious; mischievous; occasioning loss or injury.

harmful

English

Alternative forms

* harmfull (archaic)

Adjective

(en-adj)
  • of a kind likely to be damaging; injurious
  • Wear a hat to protect your skin from harmful sunlight.

    Usage notes

    * Nouns to which "harmful" is often applied: effect, consequence, impact, influence, emission, chemical, ingredient, substance, gas, agent, additive, drug, radiation, dust, organism, plant, animal, insect, action, act, behavior, component, content, activity, interference, use.

    Synonyms

    * injurious; see also

    Antonyms

    * beneficial * harmless

    See also

    * harm

    hurtful

    English

    Alternative forms

    * hurtfull (archaic)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Tending to impair or damage; injurious; mischievous; occasioning loss or injury.
  • * 1649 : , Eikonoklastes
  • A good principle not rightly understood may prove as hurtful as a bad.
  • * 1890 : George Henry Rohé, Text-book of hygiene
  • Well-cultivated soils are often healthy; nor at present has it been proved that the use of manure is hurtful .
  • Tending to hurt someone's feelings; insulting.
  • *
  • *
  • Synonyms

    * (tending to impair or damage) pernicious, harmful, baneful, prejudicial, detrimental, disadvantageous, mischievous, injurious, noxious, unwholesome, destructive; see also

    References

    * * *

    Anagrams

    *