hurtle

verb

hur·​tle ˈhər-tᵊl 

hurtled; hurtling ˈhər-tᵊl-iŋ 

ˈhərt-liŋ

intransitive verb

: to move rapidly or forcefully

transitive verb

: hurl, fling

hurtle noun

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Hurdle vs. Hurtle

Indistinguishable in speech, the words hurtle and hurdle can be a confusing pair.

Hurtle is a verb with two meanings: "to move rapidly or forcefully," as in "The stone was hurtling through the air," and "to hurl or fling," as in "I hurtled the stone into the air." Note that the first use is intransitive: the stone isn't hurtling anything; it itself is simply hurtling. The second use is transitive: something was hurtled—in this case, a stone.

Hurdle is both a noun and a verb. As a noun, its most common meanings have to do with barriers: the ones that runners leap over, and the metaphorical extension of these, the figurative barriers and obstacles we try to similarly overcome. The verb hurdle has two meanings, and they are directly related to these. It can mean "to leap over especially while running," as in "She hurdled the fence," and it can mean "to overcome or surmount," as in "They've had to hurdle significant financial obstacles." The verb hurdle is always transitive; that is, there's always a thing being hurdled, whether it be a physical obstacle or a metaphorical one.

Synonyms of hurtle

• scurry
• rush
• speed
• hurry
• race
• fly
• jump
• drive
• travel
• trot
• chase
• zip
• run
• blow
• scoot
• dart
• scuttle
• buzz

Examples of hurtle in a Sentence

Boulders hurtled down the hill.

We kept to the side of the road as cars and trucks hurtled past us.

The protesters hurtled bottles at the police.

He hurtled himself into the crowd.

Recent Examples on the Web

Moreover, this media frenzy is hurtling forward without regard for the review process The Athletic is trying to complete. —Ted Johnson, Deadline, 14 Apr. 2026

Georgia election officials are hurtling toward that deadline with no clear direction in sight, as state lawmakers adjourned earlier this month without providing a solution. —Caleb Groves, AJC.com, 13 Apr. 2026

Taxpayers are hurtling toward a filing deadline on Wednesday, but opportunity still beckons for filers eager to avoid a penalty for submitting late. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026

This photo was snapped after the crew endured a return to Earth, which meant hurtling through the atmosphere at over 24,000 miles per hour (38,000 kilometers per hour) and in a capsule enduring temperatures up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,760 degrees Celsius). —Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 13 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English hurtlen to collide, frequentative of hurten to cause to strike, hurt

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for hurtle

• fertile
• kirtle
• myrtle
• turtle
• infertile

Kids Definition

hurtle

verb

hur·​tle ˈhərt-ᵊl 

hurtled; hurtling ˈhərt-liŋ 

-ᵊl-iŋ

1

: to move suddenly or violently

boulders hurtled down the hill

2

: hurl sense 1, fling