hurt
1 of 2verb
ˈhərt 
hurt; hurting
transitive verb
1
a
: to inflict with physical pain : wound
He hurt his back while moving some boxes.
was seriously hurt in a car accident
You're hurting my arm!
b
: to do substantial or material harm to : damage
the dry summer has hurt the land
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
intransitive verb
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
hurt
2 of 2noun
1
: a cause of injury or damage : blow
this tower of granite, weathering the hurts of so many ages
R. W. Emerson
R. W. Emerson2
a
: a bodily injury or wound
b
: mental or emotional distress or anguish : suffering
getting past the hurt of a bitter divorce
3
: wrong, harm
subordinating cosmic to moral considerations, to the hurt of both M. R. Cohen
M. R. Cohen
Synonyms
Verb
- ache
- pain
- smart
Noun
- affliction
- agony
- anguish
- distress
- excruciation
- misery
- pain
- rack
- strait(s)
- torment
- torture
- travail
- tribulation
- woe
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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. See More
Recent Examples on the Web Fox News, 9 Sep. 2022 One person died and several others were hurt when a tractor-trailer and an RV collided in Fauquier County, officials said. Dana Hedgpeth, Washington Post, 9 Sep. 2022 The fire was contained and nobody was hurt, Diaz said, but five families including eight adults and five kids were displaced. Jeff Weiner, Orlando Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2022 Hernández, who was hurt for a large chunk of the season, came into the day hitting just .219. Julian Mcwilliams, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Sep. 2022 Lance started two games last season when Garoppolo was hurt but has spent the entire lead-up to this season as the starter and is looking forward to a real game instead of practices and exhibitions. Josh Dubow, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2022 Crews haven’t been able to identify where exactly the fire is located or how long it’s been burning, or if anyone has been hurt. Kolbie Peterson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 6 Sep. 2022 The problem was Anthony Davis not being there and LeBron James being hurt most of the year. Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2022 No one was hurt, no shots were fired, and the game continued uninterrupted, Lynch said. The Courier-Journal, 3 Sep. 2022 Michael Casagrande | Mcasagrande@al.com, al, 8 Sep. 2022 This is fitting: the stories specialize in intimate hurt, the kind that passes between those who might have a reason for solidarity. Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2022 People who tend toward anxious attachment, however, have a harder time trusting that those risks won’t end in hurt. Marisa G. Franco, The Atlantic, 25 Aug. 2022 Marie [Betsy Brandt] makes an appearance, putting a face on the hurt that Saul caused in the Breaking Bad era. Dan Snierson, EW.com, 16 Aug. 2022 Moving on from a past hurt might be this day's main challenge. Chicago Tribune, 30 July 2022 Family dynamics are complicated, but at the center of it is a hurt. Justin Raystaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2022 Is your Achilles' heel the hurt that comes with rejection? Jelena Kecmanovic, CNN, 12 July 2022 Plays like Jurickson Profar rushing in to trim time and distance off freddie Freeman’s liner to left and gun down Betts at the plate in the fourth helped, as much as rookie Jose Azocar being cut down at home in the third hurt. Bryce Millercolumnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 July 2022 See More
Verb
In Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 11 died and 85 were hurt. Fox News, 9 Sep. 2022 One person died and several others were hurt when a tractor-trailer and an RV collided in Fauquier County, officials said. Dana Hedgpeth, Washington Post, 9 Sep. 2022 The fire was contained and nobody was hurt, Diaz said, but five families including eight adults and five kids were displaced. Jeff Weiner, Orlando Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2022 Hernández, who was hurt for a large chunk of the season, came into the day hitting just .219. Julian Mcwilliams, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Sep. 2022 Lance started two games last season when Garoppolo was hurt but has spent the entire lead-up to this season as the starter and is looking forward to a real game instead of practices and exhibitions. Josh Dubow, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2022 Crews haven’t been able to identify where exactly the fire is located or how long it’s been burning, or if anyone has been hurt. Kolbie Peterson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 6 Sep. 2022 The problem was Anthony Davis not being there and LeBron James being hurt most of the year. Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2022 No one was hurt, no shots were fired, and the game continued uninterrupted, Lynch said. The Courier-Journal, 3 Sep. 2022 Noun
Brown, now 71, fueled the what-if-Colt-didn’t-get-hurt talk as recently as a 2019 interview with Stadium after being hired as the coach at North Carolina. Michael Casagrande | Mcasagrande@al.com, al, 8 Sep. 2022 This is fitting: the stories specialize in intimate hurt, the kind that passes between those who might have a reason for solidarity. Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2022 People who tend toward anxious attachment, however, have a harder time trusting that those risks won’t end in hurt. Marisa G. Franco, The Atlantic, 25 Aug. 2022 Marie [Betsy Brandt] makes an appearance, putting a face on the hurt that Saul caused in the Breaking Bad era. Dan Snierson, EW.com, 16 Aug. 2022 Moving on from a past hurt might be this day's main challenge. Chicago Tribune, 30 July 2022 Family dynamics are complicated, but at the center of it is a hurt. Justin Raystaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2022 Is your Achilles' heel the hurt that comes with rejection? Jelena Kecmanovic, CNN, 12 July 2022 Plays like Jurickson Profar rushing in to trim time and distance off freddie Freeman’s liner to left and gun down Betts at the plate in the fourth helped, as much as rookie Jose Azocar being cut down at home in the third hurt. Bryce Millercolumnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb and Noun
Middle English, probably from Anglo-French hurter to strike, prick, collide with, probably of Germanic origin; akin to Old Norse hrūtr male sheep
First Known Use
Verb
13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Noun
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing hurt
Kids Definition
hurt 1 of 3
verb
ˈhərt
hurt; hurting
1
: to feel or cause pain
My feet hurt.
These shoes hurt.
2
: to do harm to : damage
The drought has hurt crops.
3
: to cause to be sad
"I am sure none of my boys and girls in Room 13 would purposely … hurt anyone's feelings …" Eleanor Estes, The Hundred Dresses
Eleanor Estes, The Hundred Dresses4
: to make poorer or more difficult
The fumble hurt our team's chance of winning.
hurt
2 of 3noun
1
: an injury or wound to the body
2
: mental or emotional pain
hurt
3 of 3adjective
: physically or emotionally injured
a hurt toe
hurt feelings
hurt 1 of 3
verb
1
as in to ache
to feel or cause physical pain my head hurts a bad sprain that really hurts I hurt all over Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- ache
- pain
- throb
- swell
- sting
- smart
- tingle
- bleed
- cramp
- bite
- suffer
- itch
- anguish
- burn
- torment
- nag
- fester
- pinch
- afflict
- torture
- rack
- twinge
- chafe
- pound
- harrow
- agonize
2
as in to damage
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of don't worry that you'll hurt the new lawn by walking across it Synonyms & Similar Words
- damage
- injure
- mar
- cripple
- harm
- compromise
- weaken
- spoil
- impair
- erode
- break
- destroy
- ruin
- disfigure
- bloody
- undermine
- flaw
- blemish
- vitiate
- deface
- crab
- wound
- shatter
- deteriorate
- endamage
- cross (up)
- wreck
- tarnish
- batter
- wash out
- devastate
- dent
- blight
- maim
- demolish
- torture
- dint
- enfeeble
- torment
- smash
- lacerate
- enervate
- botch
- crush
- ding
- hamstring
- mutilate
- waste
- decimate
- annihilate
- scour
- lame
- wipe out
- queer
- disable
- total
- bang up
- clobber
- tear down
- pulverize
- mangle
- wear (away)
- bash
- desolate
- scourge
- raze
- gum (up)
- dash
- do in
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- help
- heal
- rebuild
- repair
- fix
- mend
- patch
- reconstruct
- rehabilitate
- renovate
- cure
- improve
- rectify
- remedy
- revamp
- better
- enhance
- revise
- perfect
- doctor
- recondition
- ameliorate
- enrich
- edit
- remodel
- refine
- meliorate
3
as in to injure
to cause bodily damage to the common belief that reading in poor light hurts your eyes Synonyms & Similar Words
- injure
- damage
- wound
- bruise
- harm
- scar
- blow out
- cripple
- tear
- torture
- maim
- bloody
- gash
- torment
- scald
- hamstring
- gore
- cut
- abuse
- lacerate
- graze
- mutilate
- afflict
- impair
- strain
- lame
- nick
- contuse
- crease
- batter
- scathe
- spoil
- mangle
- mar
- aggrieve
- scrape
- blemish
- lay up
- maltreat
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- heal
- fix
- cure
- remedy
- mend
4
as in to grieve
to feel deep sadness or mental pain I know you must be hurting from the cruel words they said Synonyms & Similar Words
- grieve
- ache
- mourn
- suffer
- sigh
- sorrow
- cry
- anguish
- bleed
- sob
- agonize
- weep
- torment
- tear one's hair
- groan
- eat one's heart out
- smart
- torture
- regret
- moan
- rue
- lament
- deplore
- keen
- bawl
- howl
- languish
- rack
- bewail
- pine (away)
- blubber
- bemoan
- wail
- take on
- long (for)
- yowl
- yammer
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- joy
- laugh
- rejoice
- glory
- cheer
- beam
- triumph
- delight
- sympathize
- assure
- reassure
- soothe
- comfort
- cheer
- exult
- ravish
- console
- crow
- commiserate
- solace
hurt
2 of 3adjective
as in harmed
Synonyms & Similar Words
- harmed
- injured
- damaged
- crippled
- broken
- impaired
- spoiled
- marred
- disfigured
- blemished
- inadequate
- wanting
- insufficient
- vitiated
- defaced
- incomplete
- fallible
- deficient
- imperfect
- flawed
- bad
- defective
- faulty
- amiss
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- perfect
- intact
- whole
- entire
- complete
- flawless
- faultless
- impeccable
- unimpaired
- undamaged
- unspoiled
- unblemished
hurt
3 of 3noun
1
as in pain
a state of great suffering of body or mind in her hurt she said a lot of things to her boyfriend that she didn't really mean Synonyms & Similar Words
- pain
- distress
- agony
- misery
- anguish
- discomfort
- torment
- torture
- woe
- heartbreak
- sorrow
- sadness
- trouble
- pang
- excruciation
- tribulation
- strait(s)
- ache
- rack
- hardship
- difficulty
- danger
- travail
- heartache
- affliction
- unhappiness
- cross
- smarting
- soreness
- jeopardy
- emergency
- crucible
- pinch
- twinge
- stitch
- joylessness
- trial
- throe
- asperity
- rigor
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- comfort
- ease
- consolation
- relief
- solace
- peace
- alleviation
- security
- assuagement
- well-being
2
as in harm
something that causes loss or pain a totally baseless accusation that caused lasting hurt to his reputation Synonyms & Similar Words
- harm
- damage
- injury
- detriment
- insult
- wrong
- crippling
- affront
- injustice
- wound
- beating
- disservice
- outrage
- affliction
- bruise
- swelling
- disability
- indignity
- impairment
- burn
- mutilation
- disfigurement
- mayhem
- scratch
- dart
- scar
- offense
- rupture
- abrasion
- offence
- contusion
- lesion
- scald
- chafe
- gash
- laceration
- bump
- defacement
- scrape
- strain
- cut
- concussion
- disablement
- boo-boo
- sear
- scathe
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- recovery
- healing
- remedy
- cure
- fix
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of hurt are damage, harm, impair, injure, and mar. While all these words mean "to affect injuriously," hurt implies inflicting a wound to the body or to the feelings.
hurt by their callous remarks
Although the words damage and hurt have much in common, damage suggests injury that lowers value or impairs usefulness.
a table damaged in shipping
The words harm and hurt can be used in similar contexts, but harm often stresses the inflicting of pain, suffering, or loss.
careful not to harm the animals
The words impair and hurt are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, impair suggests a making less complete or efficient by deterioration or diminution.
years of smoking had impaired his health
While in some cases nearly identical to hurt, injure implies the inflicting of anything detrimental to one's looks, comfort, health, or success.
badly injured in an accident
While the synonyms mar and hurt are close in meaning, mar applies to injury that spoils perfection (as of a surface) or causes disfigurement.
the text is marred by many typos
- at the sight of
- at the stroke of
- at the tender age
- at the threshold
- at the time of
- at the time of (something)
- at the time of something
- at the top of one's class
- at the top of one's form
- at the top of one's game
- at the top of one's lungs
- at the top of one's voice
- at the top of one's/the class
- at the top of the class
- at the top of the heap
- at the top of the hour
- at the top of the list
- at the top of the pile
- at the vanguard
- at the very least
- at the wheel
- at the whim of
- at the whim of (someone)
- at the whim of someone
- at this moment