baneful

adjective

ˈbān-fəl How to pronounce baneful (audio)
Definition of banefulnext
as in harmful
causing or capable of causing harm the incredibly baneful effect that drug addiction has on so many communities

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How is the word baneful different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of baneful are deleterious, detrimental, noxious, and pernicious. While all these words mean "exceedingly harmful," baneful implies injury through poisoning or destroying.

the baneful notion that discipline destroys creativity

In what contexts can deleterious take the place of baneful?

While in some cases nearly identical to baneful, deleterious applies to what has an often unsuspected harmful effect.

a diet found to have deleterious effects

When is detrimental a more appropriate choice than baneful?

The words detrimental and baneful are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, detrimental implies obvious harmfulness to something specified.

the detrimental effects of excessive drinking

Where would noxious be a reasonable alternative to baneful?

The words noxious and baneful can be used in similar contexts, but noxious applies to what is both offensive and injurious to the health of a body or mind.

noxious chemical fumes

When is it sensible to use pernicious instead of baneful?

Although the words pernicious and baneful have much in common, pernicious implies irreparable harm done through evil or insidious corrupting or undermining.

the claim that pornography has a pernicious effect on society

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of baneful The baneful effects of war on public speech and freedoms in Russia have been well recorded. — Fred Weir, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Dec. 2022 The impact these soldiers had on the South was baneful. — New York Times, 14 Feb. 2022 To home in on what gives these peculiar primates their baneful bite, Fry and his colleagues collected the underarm secretions from a handful of wild slow lorises housed at a research station in Indonesia and isolated the proteins within. — Katherine J. Wu, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Feb. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for baneful
  1. harmful
  2. adverse
  3. detrimental
  4. dangerous
  5. damaging
  6. bad
Adjective
  • The debate over the law centers on balancing accountability for harmful content with the risks of censorship and stifled innovation.
    — Daryl Lim, The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Shiny and minty, these balms provide a gloss-like effect while protecting your lips from the sun’s harmful rays.
    — Jillian Dara, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of harmful
Adjective
  • The foreign material could pose serious adverse health consequences, leading the FSIS to consider the recall a Class I—the agency's highest level of alert.
    — Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 7 Apr. 2025
  • And while the metal is usually excreted from the body, and most people experience no adverse side effects, previous research has shown some gadolinium particles have been left behind.
    — John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of adverse
Adjective
  • The inability to find a disruptive pass rusher and the lack of game-changing edge rushers still available would suggest trading him would be even more detrimental to the hopes of resuscitating the pass rush.
    — Paul Dehner Jr., The Athletic, 11 Mar. 2025
  • The outcome was detrimental to Sacramento’s position in the play-in race while dealing another blow to the team’s hopes of securing an automatic playoff berth as one of the top six teams in the Western Conference.
    — Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of detrimental
Adjective
  • Oddsmakers, however, still expect the Gators to handle a dangerous Maryland team coming off a thrilling win over Colorado State.
    — Kevin Sabet, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025
  • For the beach hazards statement, NWS meteorologists warned that a moderate swell would create dangerous conditions from south of Monterey to south of Point Reyes, encompassing roughly 270 miles of California shoreline.
    — Kevin Sabet, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025
Definition of dangerous
Adjective
  • The storms are threatening large hail and damaging wind gusts up to 60 mph.
    — Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
  • But in recent years, lung disease for miners has become a major concern again, Laney says, because coal increasingly comes from mines embedded in sandstone, and which generates dust that's 20 times more damaging to lungs than coal.
    — Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of damaging
Adjective
  • What happened was my bad behavior and my angst brought the energy finally.
    — Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Hundreds of homes were damaged when a bad rainstorm hit in 2023.
    — Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2025
Definition of bad

Browse Nearby Words

bane
baneful
banes
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Cite this Entry

“Baneful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/baneful. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.

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