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Harmful vs Poisonous - What's the difference?

harmful | poisonous | Related terms |

Harmful is a related term of poisonous.


As adjectives the difference between harmful and poisonous

is that harmful is of a kind likely to be damaging; injurious while poisonous is containing sufficient poison to be dangerous.

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

    poisonous

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Containing sufficient poison to be dangerous
  • (of an animal) Inedible due to containing poison; poisonous to eat

    • Synonyms

    * toxic, venomous, attery

    Derived terms

    * poisonousness