adj
harmless
HAHM-luhs
adj
1
Not capable of causing injury or harm; safe.
"The spider looks scary but it's completely harmless."
"We use a harmless chemical spray to keep the plants free of pests."
2
Not meant to hurt or offend anyone.
"It was just a harmless joke between friends."
"She gave him a harmless nickname that everyone found funny."
How to Use Harmless
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething that won't hurt you or cause damage.
Common pairings
harmless fun
perfectly harmless
harmless joke
Word Forms
more harmless comparative, most harmless superlative
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The spider looks scary but it's completely _____.
Etymology
From Old English hearmlēas, built from harm plus the suffix -less ("without"). The German cousin harmlos means the same thing.