hurt

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

Synonyms of hurt

• ache
• pain

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

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

When Judge was hurt last season, Giancarlo Stanton played 17 games in the outfield. —Larry Fleisher, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2026

The allegations are that the defendant was impaired, failed to properly secure two young children, and then caused a crash that left one child dead, another seriously injured, and an innocent driver badly hurt. —Gino Vicci, CBS News, 4 June 2026

But Newton quickly got hurt, Rivera got fired in December, Allen got benched by interim head coach Perry Fewell and Grier inherited a team in disarray those final two games of 2019. —Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 4 June 2026

Check your battery terminals for corrosion, too, as this can hurt your battery. —Danny Smith, USA Today, 4 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

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

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