harmless

Everyday

1. Harmless means not able to hurt or damage anyone or anything. tree →
2. Harmless can mean not meant to upset anyone: harmless fun. tree →

In the lessons

In nature lessons many creatures look scary but are harmless, like most spiders in the UK, grass snakes and slow-worms; others look harmless but are dangerous, so you don't touch wild animals or plants you don't know. In lessons about tricks and teasing, a joke is harmless only if nobody is hurt or upset. In science, «harmless» bacteria do not cause illness. Phrases: harmless fun, completely harmless, perfectly harmless.

Examples

• That spider is harmless; it won't hurt you. tree →
• It was just harmless fun, and everyone laughed. tree →
• Most bacteria are harmless. tree →
• A grass snake is harmless to people. tree →
• Some berries look harmless but are poisonous. tree →
• The dog looks fierce but it's really harmless. tree →
• A joke isn't harmless if it makes someone cry. tree →
• The firework fell harmlessly into the water. tree →
• There she is as harmless as a lamb. tree →

Note

Built from «harm» + «-less» (without harm). Opposite: harmful, dangerous. Trap: something looking harmless does not prove it is safe; ask an adult before touching unknown animals, plants, mushrooms or liquids.