HURTING Synonyms: 216 Similar and Opposite Words

hurting 1 of 2

adjective

as in aching

causing or feeling bodily pain a badly hurting finger kept her from writing neatly

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hurting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of hurt

as in throbbing

to feel or cause physical pain my head hurts a bad sprain that really hurts I hurt all over

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as in damaging

to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of don't worry that you'll hurt the new lawn by walking across it

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in injuring

to cause bodily damage to the common belief that reading in poor light hurts your eyes

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as in grieving

to feel deep sadness or mental pain I know you must be hurting from the cruel words they said

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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 hurting

Verb

This raised the possibility of improper interference with the Armenian electoral process, possibly also hurting reconciliation efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan. — Daniel Markind, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Because that’s obviously hurting jobs and the film community in America. — Marlow Stern, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026 Continuing drought has also hampered grass growth, hurting the UK dairy sector. — CNBC, 14 Aug. 2026 Unfortunately, the play could end up hurting his chances of making Carolina’s final roster. — Michael Cunningham, AJC.com, 10 Aug. 2026 There’s a kind of prisoner’s dilemma hurting Democrats who want to beat the left in swing-state primaries. — David Weigel, semafor.com, 7 Aug. 2026 With the combative midterms taking center stage after Labor Day, hurting Hollywood shouldn’t expect any real movement this year on any such federal credits or out of Sacramento …regardless of how good the clam chowder is. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026 Minutes later, 8-year-old Carter Olsen hobbled in with his worried mother after hurting his arm in a fall. — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026 The technology has drawn questions about what's to stop the drone from hurting a student or confusing John Adams' armed staff with a school shooter. — Olivia Young, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hurting

Adjective

The homestretch of the drama, however, takes the story in a chilling direction, packing an aching quantity of feeling into a single glance at a security camera as someone climbs into a car and leaves the compound, never to be heard from again.

— Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 26 May 2026
Charles Frazier, Cold Mountain (1997) Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain is an aching, tender slow burn shaped by absence.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026

Definition of aching

Verb

Williamson said protection of county waterways is a major pillar of his campaign, highlighting the dangers of chemical sprays meant to control plants that end up damaging the ecosystem.

— James Wilkins, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
The systems moving in could potentially bring severe weather, large hail, damaging winds and flooding, said NWS Indy meteorologist Matthew Eckhoff.

— Jen Guadarrama, IndyStar, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of damaging

Verb

The victim ran away screaming for help, injuring her leg during the ordeal, Smith said.

— Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
In Gary, Superintendent Yvonne Stokes said damage to schools was minimal except for a tree at the West Side Leadership Academy which fell and crashed through window injuring an employee.

— Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of injuring

Verb

Days later, thousands of grieving students marched through Beijing, calling for a more democratic government in Hu’s honor.

— Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
Though he was never convicted of her killing, Duckett’s execution still brought some sense of closure to Weldon’s still-grieving family.

— Natasha Holt, FOXNews.com, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of grieving

Adjective

His last appearance came in the AFC Championship Game, a 10-7 loss to the New England Patriots that ended with a few painful what-ifs hanging in the air for him and the Broncos.

— Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Your husband’s abandonment was surely jarring, painful, and confusing.

— R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of painful

Verb

To prevent a similar war from happening again, Menelaus scarred her face, permanently marring her famous beauty.

— Tanya Fedak, Variety, 18 July 2026
Lined with live oaks and old-fashioned, busy storefronts, this artsy town on the Gulf of Mexico has no commercial development marring its shoreline.

— Valerie Fraser Luesse, Southern Living, 16 June 2026

Definition of marring

Verb

The office of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hezbollah violated the ceasefire by attacking Israeli soldiers inside Lebanon, seriously wounding three.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
An airstrike destroyed a house in Ansar town, killing seven people and wounding three others on Saturday morning, NNA said.

— Tim Lister, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026