HURTFULLY Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

hurtfully

adverb

as in cruelly

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for hurtfully

Adverb

And, if Barisone was psychotically deluded, how was the jury meant to understand the defense’s central framing, which was that Kanarek had cruelly tried to harm Barisone?

— Ian Parker, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of cruelly

Adverb

But their complaints come as Lecornu's government seeks to rein in public spending to appease skittish bond markets, which have punished France more harshly than many of its peers this year, amid a global bond market rout.

— Jenni Reid, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
His government has also been harshly criticized for a migration crisis in Ceuta.

— JOSEPH WILSON, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of harshly

Adverb

The production stalled in 1964 when the couple separated, and Kumari’s health declined sharply over the following years.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
Inflation dropped sharply, deposits flowed back into the banking system, and the economy switched from negative to positive growth with a surge in exports leading the way.

— Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of sharply

Adverb

The movie offered a sly critique of Korea’s rapid urbanization, and introduced the wayward types (bar girls, severely disabled men) that would populate all of Lee’s films.

— E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
The wars severely tarnished the United States’ global reputation and left a generation of Americans skeptical that the country could be a force for good in the world.

— Philip H. Gordon, Foreign Affairs, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of severely

Adverb

The collection’s attempt at provocation was perhaps best illustrated by a top with underboob exposure that seemed intended to signal a rebellious edge but came across as little more than an ill-fitting garment in search of a point of view.

— Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
Meir and her crew left the planet in February to replace four station occupants who were sent home early after one of them — NASA's Mike Fincke, now retired — fell ill.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of ill

Adverb

Global hospitality business Hilton is acutely aware of these concerns.

— Sam Forsdick, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
However, sharply rising diesel prices hit far more acutely and quickly in industries such as mining, quarrying and cement mixing, as well as other materials that are key in construction.

— Natasha Chen, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of acutely

Adverb

The play’s tension, gently but poignantly unspooled, develops from the fact that while Ryan has pursued a career onstage, Charlie never did.

— Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2026
That’s a process that can help clarify thoughts, but knowing that no one was behind the dialogue, that the empathy was a technique and not a presence, left me with a sense of being poignantly unheard.

— Steven Barrie-Anthony, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of poignantly

Adverb

As money hijacks morality and democracy begins to look like a hoax, Tresnjak’s Broadway-caliber staging contrasts garish spectacle with piercingly intimate scenes between Claire and Anton.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of piercingly

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hurtful

hurtfully

hurting

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“Hurtfully.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hurtfully. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of hurtfully

adverb

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