hurtful

adjective

ˈhərt-fəl How to pronounce hurtful (audio)
Definition of hurtfulnext
1
as in harmful
causing or capable of causing harm the most hurtful thing you can do to this silk dress is put it in the dryer

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally her ex-husband said hurtful things that she could never forgive

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of hurtful There has never been any conflict or circumstance that would initiate such a hurtful and shocking decision. — R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2026 Just the thought of my sister enduring such a brutal attack is just deeply hurtful to me and to the rest of my family. — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 22 Sep. 2026 Kids can be kind to older people without accepting rude or hurtful behavior. — Caroline Chirichella, Parents, 20 Sep. 2026 Senior Zaina Jafri, a South Asian student, told The Daily Texan the comments from a candidate for office were hurtful. — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hurtful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hurtful
  1. harmful
  2. painful
  3. detrimental
  4. cruel
  5. damaging
  6. harsh
  7. dangerous
  8. adverse
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, Meta has faced lawsuits alleging that its platforms contribute to harmful experiences for children and teenagers.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Educators aren’t prepared to supervise AI use, while students may struggle to tell which tools are safe or harmful, the release said.
    — Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of harmful
Adjective
  • No matter how painful, facing the truth is the only way true progress can begin.
    — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2026
  • His death is devastating and a painful reminder that the crisis documented in our film continues.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of painful
Adjective
  • Cannabis impairs cognitive functioning and can be particularly detrimental to young brains that are still developing.
    — Sarah Owermohle, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2026
  • So in this episode of the Outdoor Life Podcast, Sturgis will reference his decades of experience working on private land habitat as well as his time spent hunting on public ground to outline the most common and detrimental deer hunting mistakes.
    — Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of detrimental
Adjective
  • Newsom and other opponents of capital punishment have long argued that the process is costly, cruel and discriminatory, with death sentences disproportionately handed down to defendants of color.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
  • In a cruel twist of fate, the back half of the trailer shows Geoff being affected by severe confusion, sitting outside his house in the cold.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of cruel
Adjective
  • In the letter, Hood emphasizes the damaging emotional toll executions take on corrections officers, medical examiners and victims’ families.
    — Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Opinion polls still show right-wing parties favored to form the next government, after eight years of Sánchez’s leadership and a damaging set of corruption scandals involving figures within the Prime Minister’s inner circle.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of damaging
Adjective
  • Martha Stewart is asking Americans for forgiveness after her Halloween costume drew harsh criticism.
    — Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Held without charge, al-Sakani says he was subjected to harsh conditions, including sleep deprivation, inadequate medical care and the withholding of medication.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of harsh
Adjective
  • Though Awawdeh was friendly, Jontay knew that he was connected to some dangerous associates, including the Gambino crime family in New York.
    — New Yorker, New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2026
  • But the proliferation of inexpensive first-person-view (FPV) aerial drones has made this incredibly dangerous.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of dangerous
Adjective
  • If Uncle Sam does not change course, America’s unsustainable fiscal mess will result in adverse economic, national security, foreign relations, and domestic tranquility consequences.
    — Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Police have not confirmed whether any of the children consumed the gummies or experienced any adverse effects.
    — Emma Marsden, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of adverse

Browse Nearby Words

hurt (for)
hurtful
hurtfully
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Cite this Entry

“Hurtful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hurtful. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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