as in aching
causing or feeling bodily pain
a badly hurting finger kept her from writing neatly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in throbbing
to feel or cause physical pain
my head hurts a bad sprain that really hurts I hurt all over
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in injuring
to cause bodily damage to
the common belief that reading in poor light hurts your eyes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in grieving
to feel deep sadness or mental pain
I know you must be hurting from the cruel words they said
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hurting
Jeff Marks, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2026
But Forte cautioned in a letter to the committee that the measure would handcuff the court, which sometimes must act to prevent a young person from hurting themselves or others.
—Katie Mulvaney, The Providence Journal, 28 Jan. 2026
The finalist for the NFL most valuable player award was still processing a defeat that left the team hurting.
—Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
The event at the end of January will feature 400 luminaries, about double the amount from the year before, and will include stories shared by residents, a moment of silence for the hurting community, and collection for donations.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
The data cutoff is also hurting the entire real estate industry.
—Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Best external devices for baby gas relief This device can be placed on a hurting tummy or secured around the baby’s midsection with a band that contains a small massaging device.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
With Peterson hurting and KU’s offense struggling, Bidunga hit a number of timely buckets.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 21 Jan. 2026
Not forcing her to go means hurting the other girl, forcing her to go means teaching your daughter that her own comfort should be subjugated to make someone else happy.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
This is a relief for now, but the market won’t stop being worried about memory hurting gross margins until prices come down.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2026
But Forte cautioned in a letter to the committee that the measure would handcuff the court, which sometimes must act to prevent a young person from hurting themselves or others.
—Katie Mulvaney, The Providence Journal, 28 Jan. 2026
The finalist for the NFL most valuable player award was still processing a defeat that left the team hurting.
—Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026
The event at the end of January will feature 400 luminaries, about double the amount from the year before, and will include stories shared by residents, a moment of silence for the hurting community, and collection for donations.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
The data cutoff is also hurting the entire real estate industry.
—Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Best external devices for baby gas relief This device can be placed on a hurting tummy or secured around the baby’s midsection with a band that contains a small massaging device.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
With Peterson hurting and KU’s offense struggling, Bidunga hit a number of timely buckets.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 21 Jan. 2026
Not forcing her to go means hurting the other girl, forcing her to go means teaching your daughter that her own comfort should be subjugated to make someone else happy.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hurting
Adjective
-
In this aching, unorthodox historical drama, Davies tells the story of the pacifist poet and veteran Siegfried Sassoon, whose experiences fighting in the First World War forever transformed him.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
5 Aug. 2025
-
Braxton shares an aching need to be vulnerable only to realize by album’s end that such unions can result in horrible betrayal, her words of lament surrounded by swelling, lush orchestration.—
Clarence A. Haynes
July 3,
Literary Hub,
3 July 2025
Verb
-
Sudden cold could be damaging to lawns due to the warm weather; most should regrow.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
-
But toward the end of the afternoon session, the Frenchman spun on the damp track and hit the wall, damaging his car.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
That poor year was largely the product of Vogelsong injuring his right pinkie finger and missing more than two months, but Vogelsong questioned whether the tournament had any impact.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
And then there’s Kyle Rittenhouse, a counter-protester acquitted after fatally shooting two men and injuring another in Kenosha, Wisconsin, during the post-Floyd protests.—
Bill Barrow,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
At the time, Brown was still grieving from the loss of his infant son two months prior.—
R.J. Coyle,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The grieving father cited key factors of the Medical Examiner’s report, which the family received earlier Monday.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
This winter’s procedure, Edman said, included a ligament repair and the removal of some painful bone spurs in the ankle, which had limited not just his baserunning but his ability to bounce back and forth between the infield and the outfield.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
-
With Rock’s unmistakable voice narrating every awkward win and painful loss, the series balanced humor with real-life lessons.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Including playoffs, Mayfield turned the ball over more than anyone else from 2023 through 2024, marring an otherwise fantastic two seasons in Tampa Bay.—
Jacob Robinson,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
-
An optional front rack on both models adds instant utility without marring the retro-fantastic looks.—
William Roberson,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
An airstrike also hit a police station in Gaza City, killing at least 14 and wounding others, Shifa Hospital director Mahamed Abu Selmiya said.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
31 Jan. 2026
-
An airstrike also hit a police station in Gaza City, killing at least 14 and wounding others, Shifa Hospital director Mohamed Abu Selmiya said.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Hollywood is mourning the death of Catherine O’Hara, the beloved actress and comedian whose illustrious career spanned decades across television and film.—
Jessica Lynch,
Billboard,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Eugene Levy is mourning the loss of his TV wife and real-life friend of over 50 years.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hurting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hurting. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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