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hurtful

adjective

hurt·​ful ˈhərt-fəl How to pronounce hurtful (audio)
: causing injury, detriment, or suffering : damaging
hurtfully adverb
hurtfulness noun

Examples of hurtful in a Sentence

She can't forgive him for the hurtful things he said. Their comments were really hurtful to me.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The poster said the contrast between that hurtful moment and her mother-in-law’s sudden enthusiasm for the pregnancy felt disingenuous. Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025 Erivo found such alterations hurtful. Zack Sharf, Variety, 24 Nov. 2025 However, while yes hurtful, my heart remains filled with joy, my life is filled with happiness, and my true convictions remain unchanged because my self worth is not defined by a man, but instead by God who created everything in existence. Richard Hall, Time, 22 Nov. 2025 Not use hurtful or divisive language. Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hurtful

Word History

First Known Use

1526, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hurtful was in 1526

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hurtful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hurtful. Accessed 3 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

hurtful

adjective
hurt·​ful ˈhərt-fəl How to pronounce hurtful (audio)
: causing injury or suffering : damaging
hurtfully adverb
hurtfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on hurtful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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