hurt; hurting
1
2
a
: to cause emotional pain or anguish to : offend
never meant to hurt you
got her feelings hurt
b
: to be detrimental to : hamper
charges of graft hurt his chances of being elected
1
a
: to suffer pain or grief
He says his tooth hurts.
has been hurting ever since learning of her friend's betrayal
b
: to be in need
—usually used with for
hurting for money
2
: to cause damage or distress
hit where it hurts
hurt
adjective
hurter
noun
Synonyms
Examples of hurt in a Sentence
Verb
Be careful with that knife or you could hurt yourself.
Ouch! You're hurting my arm!
She was badly hurt in a car accident.
My tooth still hurts me.
When I woke up this morning I hurt all over.
Their lack of interest in her work hurt her deeply.
You're only hurting yourself by holding a grudge against them.
It hurt me to see her go.
The lack of rain has hurt the corn crop.
If we lose this game it will seriously hurt our chances of making the play-offs.
Noun
Her sympathy eased the hurt he felt after his dog's death.
They felt a great hurt after their bitter divorce.
She tried to put past hurts behind her.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kff Health News, Orange County Register, 13 Nov. 2024
Matthews devotes one parenthetical sentence claiming rocket launches hurt coastal wildlife.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 1 Nov. 2024
The poster nevertheless supported her friend—until a text exchange with him left her hurt and confused.
—Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hurt 
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show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
The public pleas for testing are part of health officials’ efforts to halt the outbreak that has disproportionately hurt Native Americans in the Great Plains and Southwest.
—Kff Health News, Orange County Register, 13 Nov. 2024
Matthews devotes one parenthetical sentence claiming rocket launches hurt coastal wildlife.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
Noun
Seeing the mix of shock, trepidation, and genuine hurt flash across Stephen’s oft-smug mug is surprisingly satisfying.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 1 Nov. 2024
The poster nevertheless supported her friend—until a text exchange with him left her hurt and confused.
—Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hurt
Dictionary Entries Near hurt
Cite this Entry
“Hurt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hurt. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hurt
1 of 2 verb
hurt; hurting
1
a
: to cause physical pain to
b
: to do harm to : damage
2
a
: to cause mental suffering to : offend
the teasing hurts me
b
: hamper entry 1
injuries hurt our chances of winning
3
: to feel or cause pain
my tooth hurts
hurter
noun
hurt
2 of 2 noun1
: a cause of injury or damage
2
: a physical injury or wound
3
a
: physical pain
b
: mental distress : suffering
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