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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hurtful
The group had hundreds of members and the post had many hurtful comments.
—
Beth Collums, AJC.com, 18 Feb. 2026
Not wishing to linger on the emotional repercussions of these hurtful incidents is understandable, of course.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026
Rosenberg is careful to note that this doesn’t require abandoning values or discernment, but recognizing that beneath every expression — skillful, clumsy, or even hurtful — is an unmet need.
—Jasna Hodžić, Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
Losing these long-term friendships has been hurtful and has bothered me for a while.
—R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hurtful
Beth Collums, AJC.com, 18 Feb. 2026
Not wishing to linger on the emotional repercussions of these hurtful incidents is understandable, of course.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026
Rosenberg is careful to note that this doesn’t require abandoning values or discernment, but recognizing that beneath every expression — skillful, clumsy, or even hurtful — is an unmet need.
—Jasna Hodžić, Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
Losing these long-term friendships has been hurtful and has bothered me for a while.
—R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hurtful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hurtful
Adjective
-
When asked about Trump’s immigration policies — which have been controversial and are viewed by some Venezuelan residents as harmful to their community — Rodriguez first expressed support.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
-
As these processes unfold, the nuclear pore is also blocking things that don’t belong, such as harmful enzymes or misfolded RNAs.—
Yasemin Saplakoglu,
Quanta Magazine,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Sermon, his mentor, was in the midst of a painful split-up with his creative partner, PMD.—
Jayson Greene,
Pitchfork,
8 Mar. 2026
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And, if that wasn't painful enough, your retirement savings takes a hit because the loan isn't getting paid back.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In fact, experts say this method can have detrimental (even near-disastrous) results.—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
3 Mar. 2026
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Experts on family homelessness have been at pains to show over the last several years that all of these circumstances, the hotels, the cars, doubled up with others, can be just as detrimental to people’s mental and physical health as being on the street.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
That’s the cruel beauty of golf.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Mar. 2026
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Few Iranians will mourn the demise of the cruel and murderous Ayatollah Khamenei or his cohorts, and a large segment of Iranians want the corrupt religious regime gone.—
Trudy Rubin,
Twin Cities,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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But what's rising especially fast is the more damaging type when the heat comes first and that triggers the drought.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Mar. 2026
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Hail and damaging winds are the main concerns.—
McKenna King,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Engineers have long searched for efficient electric alternatives that can survive the harsh conditions inside industrial systems.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Mar. 2026
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Critics say the danger faced by agents whose names are made public is overblown, almost always limited to harsh and violent words lobbed from behind a laptop or phone screen.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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That $67 ticket informed me that the airline was selling seats to fill planes and slashing staff and services to dangerous levels.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
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But the industry’s modern threats, while not wholly unprecedented, are dangerous in ways that are genuinely alarming.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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And, more importantly, consider locking one in to protect against any adverse rate changes still to come.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
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And the way to make amends, to get better, to rid ourselves of those burdens of indiscretion is to suffer a little, to cleanse a lot, to reflect more than anything especially under the literal heat of adverse conditions.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hurtful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hurtful. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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