as in aching
causing or feeling bodily pain
a badly hurting finger kept her from writing neatly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in throbbing
to feel or cause physical pain
my head hurts a bad sprain that really hurts I hurt all over
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in damaging
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in injuring
to cause bodily damage to
the common belief that reading in poor light hurts your eyes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in grieving
to feel deep sadness or mental pain
I know you must be hurting from the cruel words they said
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of hurting
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2026
Helpful or Hurtful Look at each item individually and determine whether each one is hurting or helping your overall organizational and decluttering goals.
—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
28 June 2026
Grisham had been one of the Yankees’ hottest hitters before hurting his hammy running the bases in Toronto on June 12.
—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
27 June 2026
So Avalon closed the door and did not burn that structure, and was very careful about not hurting anybody.
—
Fiction Non Fiction,
Literary Hub,
25 June 2026
The grapegrower and winemaker associations argue that bulk wine imports have increased in recent years, hurting the local wine industry.
—
Lizzie Kane,
Sacbee.com,
24 June 2026
Experts say that mindset is hurting Gen Z’s dating lives.
—
Daniel Wine,
CNN Money,
23 June 2026
Sometimes judges don’t have a full picture of the risks a victim faces, like an abuser’s access to weapons and prior threats to kill, and release men arrested on domestic violence charges quickly, with little to keep them away from the women they’re accused of hurting.
—
Sara-James Ranta,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 June 2026
Competition from Figma and others may be really hurting rival Adobe .
—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
17 June 2026
Verb
The triple whammy of the COVID-19 closures, inflation and technological disruption has left everyone hurting.
—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
29 June 2026
Helpful or Hurtful Look at each item individually and determine whether each one is hurting or helping your overall organizational and decluttering goals.
—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
28 June 2026
Grisham had been one of the Yankees’ hottest hitters before hurting his hammy running the bases in Toronto on June 12.
—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
27 June 2026
So Avalon closed the door and did not burn that structure, and was very careful about not hurting anybody.
—
Fiction Non Fiction,
Literary Hub,
25 June 2026
The grapegrower and winemaker associations argue that bulk wine imports have increased in recent years, hurting the local wine industry.
—
Lizzie Kane,
Sacbee.com,
24 June 2026
Experts say that mindset is hurting Gen Z’s dating lives.
—
Daniel Wine,
CNN Money,
23 June 2026
Sometimes judges don’t have a full picture of the risks a victim faces, like an abuser’s access to weapons and prior threats to kill, and release men arrested on domestic violence charges quickly, with little to keep them away from the women they’re accused of hurting.
—
Sara-James Ranta,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 June 2026
Competition from Figma and others may be really hurting rival Adobe .
—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
17 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hurting
Adjective
-
The homestretch of the drama, however, takes the story in a chilling direction, packing an aching quantity of feeling into a single glance at a security camera as someone climbs into a car and leaves the compound, never to be heard from again.
-
Charles Frazier, Cold Mountain (1997) Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain is an aching, tender slow burn shaped by absence.
Verb
-
The detection comes as communities across the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta continue to grapple with the invasive species, which can rapidly reproduce and attach themselves to hard surfaces, clogging water intake pipes and damaging infrastructure while disrupting native ecosystems.
-
Amid explosive fire conditions in southern Utah, the Cottonwood fire has ballooned to more than 144 square miles, damaging a ski resort, forcing evacuations and grounding firefighting aircraft in dangerous winds.
Verb
-
In 2022, for example, someone back-flipped off a bridge and into a raft, injuring a man and his son, according to previous Statesman reporting.
-
Ghazwan Kareem attended the rally on crutches after injuring his calf while playing soccer Friday night.
Verb
-
Scammers look for grieving spouses, newly single homeowners and families dealing with estate paperwork.
-
It’s set in a recognizably near-future, where a grieving couple who have recently lost their son in a tragic accident decides to adopt a humanoid child — one that looks and sounds the same as their dead child.
Adjective
-
With Boston sealing the sweep on a game-winning single from Jarren Duran, a nightmarish, long weekend at Fenway Park came to a painful end for the Bombers.
-
Remember, stretching should never be painful.
Verb
-
Lined with live oaks and old-fashioned, busy storefronts, this artsy town on the Gulf of Mexico has no commercial development marring its shoreline.
-
In Strasbourg, groups of Palace supporters clashed among themselves in a square in the city centre, marring the occasion.
Verb
-
The one-two punch wreaked massive destruction throughout the region, killing at least 235 and wounding more than 4,300.
-
Manila, Philippines — Two students armed with hand guns opened fire in a high school in the central Philippines on Monday, killing three fellow students and wounding another seven, police said.
Verb
-
Fitzsimmons said Swift's fans have spent years following the singer's love life, celebrating its highs and mourning its lows.
-
Venezuelan football and the entire nation are in mourning.
Cite this Entry
“Hurting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hurting. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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