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
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Recent Examples of hurtful
But there were several hurtful missed tackles Monday and confusion on two plays when Indiana bunched receivers on one side.
—
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 20 Jan. 2026
Her comments on my weight were partially hurtful to me.
—R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 15 Jan. 2026
So, just a reminder that, what may seem like a bit of fun, can be hurtful.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 6 Jan. 2026
The joke would have been particularly hurtful to Sweeney, who was already feeling isolated as the only gay member of the cast — indeed, the only out gay actor on network TV.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hurtful
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 20 Jan. 2026
Her comments on my weight were partially hurtful to me.
—R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 15 Jan. 2026
So, just a reminder that, what may seem like a bit of fun, can be hurtful.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 6 Jan. 2026
The joke would have been particularly hurtful to Sweeney, who was already feeling isolated as the only gay member of the cast — indeed, the only out gay actor on network TV.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hurtful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hurtful
Adjective
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Ultimately, however, Kato said, the goal should not be to replace one plastic bead with a less harmful one.—
TRAVIS LOLLER,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
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Keep an eye out for any legitimate potential problems, especially those involving money, but there’s no need to assume harmful intentions.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Four years later, at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, Gabrielle Daleman could only bury her face in her hands after the Canadian’s disappointing free skate, her painful reaction beamed to a global audience.—
Dave Skretta,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
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As painful as this pain deep in the heart is, the healing has already begun with all the outpouring of love, prayers, and support.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Doris Roberts, the owner and principal designer at Doris Roberts Interiors, explains how excess moisture can be detrimental to carpeting, which absorbs it like a sponge.—
Marisa Suzanne Martin,
The Spruce,
16 Feb. 2026
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But the pressure to upgrade skills and learn the difficult jumps on joints that are still growing can be detrimental for athletes.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Said quest forces her to reexamine a revelatory affair with an RAF pilot, and consider how their engagement’s cruel ending set her on the path to a different sort of fulfillment.—
Hayley Maitland,
Vogue,
14 Feb. 2026
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Government should tame the savageness of man and make life in this world more gentle, not crueler.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Large hail up to quarter size and damaging winds of up to 60 mph are possible both Friday and Saturday afternoon and evenings.—
Isa Almeida,
Oklahoman,
12 Feb. 2026
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But growth stalled, due both to the pandemic and damaging revelations about Glossier’s corporate culture during the racial justice movement following the murder of George Floyd.—
Jenny B. Fine,
Footwear News,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The energy output is designed to remain stable down to –50 degrees Celsius, supporting reliable operation in some of the harshest climates on Earth, reports InsideEVs.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
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Rapinchuk recommends only using non-toxic products when cleaning your refrigerator and avoiding anything with harsh chemicals, such as bleach and ammonia.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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As Son combined with Denis Bouanga – MLS’ most dangerous attacker three years running – the club counted 19 of its last 22 regular-season goals (plus four of six in the postseason) thanks to them.—
Josh Gross,
Daily News,
17 Feb. 2026
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Ten manufacturers of ultraprocessed foods are also facing a lawsuit, filed in December by San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu, that alleges companies knowingly engineered and marketed addictive, dangerous products while hiding the risks and causing a public health crisis.—
Sarah Koch,
CBS News,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Kiosks should be designed to detect drug combinations or conditions with higher risks for adverse events and these high-risk scenarios should be automatically flagged for real-time clinician review or to be reviewed within 24 hours of dispensing.—
Mark A. Munger,
STAT,
13 Feb. 2026
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The sharp rise in chocolate prices owes to a cocoa shortage caused primarily by adverse weather and crop disease in West Africa, which accounts for about 70% of the world’s cocoa, some analysts told ABC News.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hurtful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hurtful. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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