hurt

1 of 4

verb

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 4

noun (1)

1

: a cause of injury or damage : blow

… this tower of granite, weathering the hurts of so many ages.

—Ralph Waldo Emerson

2

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

hurter

3 of 4

noun (2)

hur·​ter

ˈhərtər

plural -s

archaic

: buffer, reinforcement

especially : a bumper that stops the wheels of a gun carriage as the piece is run into battery

hurter

4 of 4

noun (3)

hurt·​er

"

plural -s

archaic

: one that injures

Synonyms of hurt

Verb

• ache
• pain

Noun (1)

• distress
• pain
• agony
• misery
• anguish
• discomfort

Choose the Right Synonym for hurt

injure, harm, hurt, damage, impair, mar mean to affect injuriously.

injure implies the inflicting of anything detrimental to one's looks, comfort, health, or success.

badly injured in an accident

harm often stresses the inflicting of pain, suffering, or loss.

careful not to harm the animals

hurt implies inflicting a wound to the body or to the feelings.

hurt by their callous remarks

damage suggests injury that lowers value or impairs usefulness.

a table damaged in shipping

impair suggests a making less complete or efficient by deterioration or diminution.

years of smoking had impaired his health

mar applies to injury that spoils perfection (as of a surface) or causes disfigurement.

the text is marred by many typos

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 (1)

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

Verb

Keeping it becomes the thing that hurts us all. —Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026

ArcelorMittal’s executive chairman wrote in the Financial Times that emissions trading rules hurt energy-intensive industries, while the governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund said the regulatory environment prevented international investors from pouring more capital in the bloc. —Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 18 June 2026

Noun

Following the Pride Night actions of Roupp and his fellow Giants pitchers, the team’s fans, members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies expressed their hurt, anger and disappointment in the players and the organization. —Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2026

The Leafs and Jets are already tasting the hurt of watching a former star excel in the postseason, with Mitch Marner (Vegas) and Nikolaj Ehlers (Carolina) playing key roles elsewhere. —James Mirtle, New York Times, 11 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb, Noun (1), and Noun (3)

Middle English, probably from Anglo-French hurter to strike, prick, collide with, probably of Germanic origin; akin to Old Norse hrūtr male sheep

Noun (2)

Middle English hurtur, hurtour metal reinforcement for the shoulder of an axle, from Anglo-French hurteuer, from Old French hurter to collide with

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing hurt

• butt hurt
• hurt feelings
• hurt for
• hurt someone's feelings
• it couldn't/can't hurt
• it doesn't hurt
• it won't hurt
• it wouldn't hurt
• put the/a hurt on
• what someone doesn't know can't/won't hurt him/her
• wouldn't hurt a fly

Rhymes for hurt

• blurt
• chert
• curt
• dirt
• flirt
• girt
• peart
• pert
• shirt
• skirt
• spurt
• squirt

Kids Definition

hurt

1 of 2 verb

ˈhərt 

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 noun

1

: a cause of injury or damage

2

: a physical injury or wound

3

a

: physical pain

b

: mental distress : suffering

4

: wrong entry 1 sense 1, harm