baneful

Causing great harm

Baneful means harmful, destructive, or poisonous.

The word carries a sense of malevolent influence or ruinous effect, often with overtones of evil or doom: the baneful effects of unchecked greed, a baneful influence on the young.

It appears most often in literary or formal contexts and suggests harm that is deep, lasting, or corrupting rather than merely inconvenient.

harmful

injurious

Causing physical harm

damagingCausing loss or injury
detrimentalCausing harm or damage
adverseHarmful or opposed

noxious · deleterious · ruinous · destructive · hurtful · pernicious · malefic · unwholesome · insidious · corrosive

deadly

fatal

Causing death or ruin

lethalCausing or capable of death
mortalSubject to death
deathlyResembling the grave

death-dealing · killing · murderous · terminal · life-threatening · virulent · poisonous · toxic · venomous · pestilent

malevolent

malicious

Meaning to do harm

wickedEvil or slang-excellent
evilProfound moral wickedness
sinisterThreateningly suggestive of harm

nefarious · villainous · malignant · spiteful · vindictive · diabolical · malign · vicious · hateful · ill-intentioned

ominous

foreboding

Fearful anticipation of harm

menacingConveying threat or danger
threateningExpressing intent to harm
portentousOminously significant

inauspicious · unpropitious · dire · fateful · ill-omened · dark · grim · sinister · glowering · lowering

Opposites

effect on well-being

banefulbeneficial

Producing good results

salutary · wholesome · salubrious · helpful · advantageous

toxicity/safety

banefulbenign

Not harmful or threatening

harmless · innocuous · safe · nontoxic · nonpoisonous

Family

bane, baleful

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Negative · Everyday, not technical · Rated G