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Unsafe vs Harmful - What's the difference?

unsafe | harmful |

As adjectives the difference between unsafe and harmful

is that unsafe is not safe; dangerous while harmful is of a kind likely to be damaging; injurious.

unsafe

English

Adjective

(-)
  • not safe; dangerous

    • Synonyms

    * (not held or fixed securely and likely to fall over) precarious, rickety, shaky, tottering, unsteady, unstable, wobbly

    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