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 Although Sarah reportedly intended references such as borrowing Diana's shoes to be humorous, royal commentators said Diana found the passage deeply hurtful. — Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2026 That's just hurtful and not honest. — Sean Mandell, PEOPLE, 8 June 2026 That kind of feedback is harmful, hurtful and no substance for what needs to change. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 5 June 2026 Niall tells Ruben that his hurtful language over the years was a big part of his endless self-loathing. — Barry Levitt, Time, 29 May 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
  • The as-yet-untitled series will follow the story of multiple families and campaigners including Ellen Roome, who believes that the tragic death of her beloved 14-year-old son Julian ‘Jools’ Sweeney could have been linked to harmful social media.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 15 July 2026
  • And planting near any street could expose trees to harmful salt spray when roads are treated in the winter.
    — Viveka Neveln, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 July 2026
Definition of harmful
Adjective
  • When asked whether this was the most painful moment of his football career, Tuchel would not commit.
    — Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • England was knocked out of the World Cup in painful fashion on Wednesday, surrendering two goals in the final 15 minutes of its semifinal clash with Argentina.
    — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 18 July 2026
Definition of painful
Adjective
  • Unfortunately, during the early to mid-twentieth century, negative perceptions of immigrant and ethnic laborers led many outsiders to view their neighborhoods as unsafe, unclean, and detrimental to the social fabric of American cities.
    — Michelle Oliva-Espinosa, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026
  • Pruning can stress them even further, creating a scenario that can be detrimental to your plants.
    — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 16 July 2026
Definition of detrimental
Adjective
  • The heat has become so unbearable in Japan that weather officials in April announced a new term for days when maximum temperatures exceed 104 degrees — kokushobi, meaning harsh or cruel heat, according to the Japan Times.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • For thousands of Venezuelans, however, the lack of definitive answers has become one of the tragedy’s cruelest consequences.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
Definition of cruel
Adjective
  • The inmate claimed that he was told Kelly and his attorneys were planning to expose damaging information, as the filing alleged that officials violated attorney-client privilege by intercepting personal correspondence.
    — Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 15 July 2026
  • Ultimately, Moraff and Fan deemed the issue politically damaging and moved on from Williams to Platner — who was already the subject of a 2024 Facebook post warning women not to get involved with him.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 15 July 2026
Definition of damaging
Adjective
  • The couple made sure the design included a basement where the kids could spend time, better insulation to handle South Dakota’s harsh weather and plenty of storage — all features their previous home lacked.
    — Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026
  • Those are some of the harsh conditions that detainees in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody described experiencing in recent weeks at the Federal Detention Center, a Bureau of Prisons facility located in a concrete tower in downtown Miami.
    — Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026
Definition of harsh
Adjective
  • Teri handled higher-value finds and saw that potentially dangerous items – like firearms and knives – got to the local sheriff’s office.
    — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • Looking back through the sequence, Brazil have good numbers back and there is little need for anyone to overcommit — but a lazy tackle from behind leads to a free kick in a dangerous area.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 6 July 2026
Definition of dangerous
Adjective
  • These conditions can increase your vulnerability to adverse effects from poor air quality.
    — Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 4 July 2026
  • Valentine also testified that the FDA encourages infant formula companies to send in all adverse event reports and that nothing prevented Mead Johnson from doing so.
    — David Hilzenrath, USA Today, 2 July 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 20 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of hurtful for Spanish Speakers

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