Harm Meaning
/hɑːm/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounPhysical injury; hurt; damage.
nounEmotional or figurative hurt.
Sentence Examples
No harm will come to you.
Smoking will do more harm than good.
He would never frighten anyone or cause them any harm.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The scientists wanted to be sure the chemical would cause no ____ to the environment.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I didn't mean to cause any ____, and I am very sorry if my words upset you in any way.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English harm, herm, from Old English hearm, from Proto-West Germanic *harm, from Proto-Germanic *harmaz (“harm; shame; pain”). Cognate with Dutch harm (“harm”), German Harm (“harm”), Danish harme (“indignation, resentment”), Icelandic harmur (“sorrow, grief”), Swedish harm (“anger, indignation, harm”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"And Vickers launched forth into a tirade very different from his platform utterances. He spoke with extreme contempt of the dense stupidity exhibited on all occasions by the working classes. He said that if you wanted to do anything for them, you must rule them, not pamper them. Soft heartedness caused more harm than good."
— 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XIII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
"We, ignorant of ourselves, / Beg often our own harms."
— c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]:
"Will justice and conscience of society not be harmed if people avoid the truth?"
— 2020 December 16, Yan Ming, “Awakening Moral Conscience”, in Minghui:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The scientists wanted to be sure the chemical would cause no ____ to the environment.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I didn't mean to cause any ____, and I am very sorry if my words upset you in any way.