hurtfully

adverb

as in cruelly

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hurtfully
  1. cruelly
  2. harshly
  3. sharply
  4. severely
  5. ill
  6. acutely
  7. poignantly
  8. piercingly
Adverb
  • Hansen can be cruelly mocking towards his oft-flustered but extremely professional producer Andie Bender (an astonishingly good Merritt Wever).
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Then came a dip in form and, cruelly, a foot injury in January that ended his season.
    — Cerys Jones, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of cruelly
Adverb
  • Speaking harshly about migrants has been seen as a potential gateway to the hatred that led to the Holocaust.
    — Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Yust also alleges prosecutorial misconduct, arguing that a prosecutor improperly urged jurors to sentence him more harshly because of the emotional impact of the trial on them.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of harshly
Adverb
  • In recent weeks, new cases and deaths have declined in Ituri province, the outbreak's epicenter, but risen sharply in neighboring North Kivu and Haut-Uele, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said at a weekly briefing.
    — JEAN-YVES KAMALE, Arkansas Online, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The defense's account differs sharply from prosecutors' allegations.
    — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of sharply
Adverb
  • The country, severely affected by gangs and a serious humanitarian crisis, has spent years trying to contain crime without much success.
    — Sol Amaya, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Corals – which have been severely bleached along the entire Tanzanian coastline, and largely wiped out around Zanzibar – are being replanted, to try to grow new populations.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of severely
Adverb
  • Last year, the offense was aimless, punchless and ill-suited for Gio Lopez’s skill set.
    — The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • There, 730 individuals fell ill after consuming MBG meals, though most — 706 of the victims — are now recovering from their symptoms at home, the outlet reported, citing Sidoarjo health office chief Lakhsmie Herawati Yuwantina.
    — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of ill
Adverb
  • Fractures amid growth The fractures have been felt acutely by young conservatives like 23-year-old Dino Fantegrossi.
    — Elena Moore, NPR, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Their absence was acutely felt in the first half, but the Irish got better.
    — Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of acutely
Adverb
  • Most poignantly, he was struck by how far the late, great Buck O’Neil’s museum has come since its inception in a one-room office in 1990.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026
  • At once a coming-of-age drama and a portrait of a dying Texas town in the 1950s, The Last Picture Show, based on Pulitzer Prize winner Larry McMurtry’s novel, poignantly depicts the bleak descent of youth into jaded adulthood.
    — Air Mail, Air Mail, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of poignantly
Adverb
  • Chef Steven Pham is still simmering his signature Northern Vietnamese-style pho ga, which features a soul-piercingly clear broth, tender poached chicken, rice noodles, and a floating raft of fresh herbs.
    — Becky Duffett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 June 2026
  • The Towode Door Stop Alarm is a budget-friendly, highly effective safety tool that functions as a wedge door stop and a piercingly loud alarm when activated.
    — Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 31 May 2026
Definition of piercingly
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.

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hurtful
hurtfully
hurting
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Cite this Entry

“Hurtfully.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hurtfully. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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