Cool MateDangerous vs Harmful
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Dangerous
Top 2,000 (common)A1adjective
Harmful
Top 2,000 (common)B2adjective
| Dangerous | Harmful | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈdeɪndʒərəs/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈdeɪndʒərəs/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈhɑːmfl/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈhɑːrmfl/"]/ |
| Meaning | likely to cause harm or injury | something that can hurt or cause damage |
| Example | The roller coaster is too dangerous for young children. | The chemicals in that product are potentially harmful to your health. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A1 | B2 |
| Part of speech | adjective | adjective |
| Collocations | be, feel, look, extremely, fairly, very, for, to | be, prove, become, extremely, very, particularly, to |
| Antonyms | safe, harmless, secure | beneficial, harmless |
| Common mistakes | Using 'dangerous' when 'risk' or 'hazardous' is more accurate., Confusing 'dangerous' with 'endangered'., Using 'dengerous' as an adverb; it should only be an adjective. | Used incorrectly with non-physical subjects (e.g., saying 'harmful idea'), Confused with 'harmless', Omitted 'to' in phrases like 'harmful to health' |
| Usage notes | Use 'dangerous' to describe things that can cause harm. It's appropriate in most contexts, but be cautious in very casual situations where simpler words may work better. | Use 'harmful' when discussing things that can negatively affect health or well-being. It's suitable in both written and spoken contexts, such as warnings or discussions about products. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: Dangerous vs Harmful
What's the difference between Dangerous and Harmful?
Dangerous: likely to cause harm or injury Harmful: something that can hurt or cause damage
Which is more advanced: Dangerous and Harmful?
Harmful is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.
Are Dangerous and Harmful the same CEFR level?
Dangerous: A1, Harmful: B2 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Dangerous and Harmful?
Dangerous: adjective, Harmful: adjective.
Can you show an example of each?
Dangerous: The roller coaster is too dangerous for young children. Harmful: The chemicals in that product are potentially harmful to your health.
Can I use Dangerous and Harmful interchangeably?
Not always. Dangerous and Harmful are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.