harmful for vs harmful to

Both 'harmful for' and 'harmful to' are commonly used in English, but they are used in slightly different contexts. 'Harmful to' is more commonly used to indicate the negative impact something has on a person, thing, or situation. On the other hand, 'harmful for' is used to describe the negative effects of something on a particular purpose or goal.

Last updated: March 22, 2024 • 3127 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"harmful for"

This phrase is used to describe the negative effects of something on a particular purpose or goal. It indicates that something is detrimental or damaging in achieving a specific objective.

Examples:

Eating too much sugar is harmful for your health.
Procrastination is harmful for productivity.
Lack of exercise is harmful for weight loss.
Negative thinking is harmful for mental well-being.
Skipping breakfast is harmful for concentration.

Show examples from the web [+]

This is harmful for people with alcoholism, liver disease or epilepsy.
Ethanol could be harmful for those suffering from alcoholism.
Phenylalanine may be harmful for people with phenylketonuria.
Ingestion of Trocoxil may be harmful for children.
However, some types of bird flu are more harmful for certain birds and animals.
Cross-border actions in the field of co-regulation and self-regulation to combat unsolicited content (spam) harmful for children.
ABILIFY orodispersible tablets contain aspartame, a source of phenylalanine which may be harmful for people with phenylketonuria.
May be harmful for people with phenylketonuria.
Aspartame is a source of phenylalanine, which may be harmful for people with phenylketonuria.
This substance may be harmful for people with phenylketonuria (a metabolic disease).
The separation is harmful for mothers and children which become innocent victims of the decision taken over their mother.
This report is harmful for the European economy and shows contempt for popular sovereignty.
Frankly, we're just concerned that it's potentially harmful for the residents of shelter house.
It must be completed, it will be harmful for you otherwise.
The Committee endorses the Commission's recommendation to reduce subsidies that have a negative environmental impact and are harmful for sustainable development.
The syrup contains aspartame (E951), a source of phenylalanine, which may be harmful for people with phenylketonuria.
Ingestion of Trocoxil may be harmful for children, and prolonged pharmacological effects leading to e. g. gastrointestinal disorders may be observed.
Prac-tic should not be allowed to enter surface water, as it may be harmful for aquatic organisms.
Since this method does not require the castration of the pigs, it is obviously less harmful for the animals.
It would obviously be harmful for developing countries if they were obliged to revert to the EU's MFN tariffs and ceased to enjoy preferential treatment, albeit temporarily.

Alternatives:

detrimental to
damaging to
bad for
detrimental for
detrimental towards

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"harmful to"

This phrase is used to indicate the negative impact something has on a person, thing, or situation. It is commonly used to describe the harm caused by a specific action or substance.

Examples:

Smoking is harmful to your health.
Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to your liver.
Harsh chemicals can be harmful to the environment.
Lack of sleep is harmful to your immune system.
Negative comments can be harmful to someone's self-esteem.

Show examples from the web [+]

subsidies harmful to biodiversity are eliminated,
This slurry is very harmful to the environment in Poland.
It would be very harmful to the child.
FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby.
I... I still do not understand why they are so harmful to Lorenzo.
Subject: Taxation of foodstuffs harmful to health
Subject: Dangerous products harmful to children's health
Such levels are very harmful to the human ear apparatus.
Very harmful to the psyche, Miss Olesky.
Exaggerated use of nasal spray is harmful to the mucus membranes.
It was underhanded and vindictive and harmful to the entire firm.
Cookies are safe and are not harmful to the device.
It is now possible to produce tobacco which is less harmful to human health.
But this is not harmful to the eyes.
The hormones used on bovine animals are extremely harmful to man, especially to children.
Eco-friendly would typically mean not harmful to the environment.
Lenalidomide is expected to be harmful to the unborn child.
Such activity increases the risk of abnormal conditions that are extremely harmful to human beings and property.
However regular drinking can be harmful to your baby.
Extended periods of time without eating are harmful to the body.

Alternatives:

detrimental to
damaging to
bad for
detrimental for
detrimental towards

How TextRanch works

Fast and reliable proofreading, editing, and language advice tailored to your needs.

1. Choose Your Service

Quick Text Editing

Emails and short texts
Proofreading & editing
Ready in 5-10 minutes

SUBMIT YOUR TEXT NOW

Document Editing

Documents of any type (*.docx)
Advanced & Premium editing
Ready in as little as 4 hours

UPLOAD YOUR DOCUMENT

Ask an Editor

Personalized answers to your language questions
Expert guidance on grammar, style, and usage
Ready in 24 hours

ASK YOUR QUESTION

Upload your document or paste your text directly into our platform. Your text is reviewed and refined by our expert editors (real people, not machines) who understand the nuances of English. Expect corrections, improvements, and insightful suggestions that enhance the clarity, tone, and professionalism of your writing.

3. Receive Your Polished Text

In just a few minutes (or hours for longer documents), you'll receive your corrected text. Review the changes, make any final adjustments, and confidently share your polished English with the world.
You can count on a personalized, friendly service every time you use TextRanch. We're committed to helping you make a great impression with every word you write.

We proofread and edit these types of texts and documents:

Short texts Business Emails Personal Emails Social media posts Resume and Curriculum Vitae Business documents Sales proposal Research and academic papers Thesis Dissertation Essays Articles Blog posts and much more....

Our Customers Love Us!

We have an average rating of 4.79 stars based on 283125 votes, and

4.9 Excellent - Reviews 2.137

"7 years without any disappointment. Always 100% satisfied. You guys are the best in the world at what you do. Thank you so much :)"

Zubair
from Bangladesh

"I wasn't aware of this service, it's fascinating and more reliable than standard IA tools available on the internet"

Arturo
from Mexico

"In a world of text messages and online communication, this is great to have as a live tool. Thank you."

Selena
from USA

"Wow, it's just so excellent. I never would have believed I could have a sure and excellent English companion. Thanks, TextRanch."

Ifiok
from Nigeria

"This is my first time using TextRanch, and I like how the editors take time to correct my text. To everyone who has never used TextRanch before, I highly recommend trying it."

Wilson
from France

"It is an amazing source of feedback because, as a non-native speaker, I really need to have a reliable helper correct my text."

Susan
from Germany

harmful for vs harmful to

"harmful for"

"harmful to"

Related Comparisons

2. Submit Your Text

3. Receive Your Polished Text