# harmless

/ˈhɑɹmɫəs/ (US) · /hˈɑːmləs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/harmless
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. safe

adjective · CEFR A2

not able to cause any physical hurt or damage.

For teachers: incapable of causing physical injury, damage, or danger.

- Don't worry about that spider; it is completely harmless to humans.
- The chemical was initially thought to be harmless, but subsequent environmental studies revealed its long-term impact on local water supplies.

### 2. inoffensive

adjective · CEFR B1

not meant to upset or annoy anyone.

For teachers: not intended to cause offence, distress, or ill will.

- It was just a harmless joke, but he still felt a bit embarrassed.
- What began as a harmless remark during the meeting was unfortunately misinterpreted by the executive team as a critique of their strategy.

### 3. unharmed

adjective · CEFR C2 · Archaic

not hurt after a dangerous event.

For teachers: remaining in a state of safety or wholeness after a potential injury; now largely replaced by 'unharmed' in modern contexts.

- The knight returned from the great battle harmless and full of joy.
- In the old chronicles, the hero is described as emerging harmless from the dragon's den, protected by a magical charm.

Teaching tip: In modern English, 'harmless' always means 'not causing harm'. Using it to mean 'not receiving harm' is archaic; use 'unharmed' or 'safe' instead.

## Examples

- Don't worry, that little spider is completely harmless.
- The doctor explained that the side effects of the medication are usually harmless and disappear within a few hours.
- While the initial software glitch appeared harmless, it eventually revealed a deeper systemic vulnerability that required a complete overhaul of the security protocols.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.