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
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
Sara-James Ranta,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 June 2026
Businesses will pay more for space, residential renters will feel it through higher rents, and visitors at our hotels, B&Bs and Airbnbs will pay more, too, hurting tourism statewide.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
17 June 2026
Competition from Figma and others may be really hurting rival Adobe .
—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
17 June 2026
This can damage grass, as those short cuttings can remove too much of the grass blade, hurting the lawn as a whole.
—
Lauren Wellbank,
Martha Stewart,
17 June 2026
Can Australia keep hurting teams on the break?
—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
14 June 2026
Stanton, plagued by a long list of lower-body injuries since joining the Yankees, hasn’t played since hurting his calf in Houston on April 24.
—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
13 June 2026
Multiple groups complained that the amendment erodes CPUC’s oversight authority, unfairly benefits big companies such as A&T and would lead to a host of potential problems hurting customers in rural as well as urban areas.
—
Rob Nikolewski,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 June 2026
Which was hurting crowds and youth and getting people to go and stay there four hours.
—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
12 June 2026
Verb
Sometimes judges don’t have a full picture of the risks a victim faces, like an abuser’s access to weapons and prior threats to kill, and release men arrested on domestic violence charges quickly, with little to keep them away from the women they’re accused of hurting.
—
Sara-James Ranta,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 June 2026
Businesses will pay more for space, residential renters will feel it through higher rents, and visitors at our hotels, B&Bs and Airbnbs will pay more, too, hurting tourism statewide.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
17 June 2026
Competition from Figma and others may be really hurting rival Adobe .
—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
17 June 2026
This can damage grass, as those short cuttings can remove too much of the grass blade, hurting the lawn as a whole.
—
Lauren Wellbank,
Martha Stewart,
17 June 2026
Can Australia keep hurting teams on the break?
—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
14 June 2026
Stanton, plagued by a long list of lower-body injuries since joining the Yankees, hasn’t played since hurting his calf in Houston on April 24.
—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
13 June 2026
Multiple groups complained that the amendment erodes CPUC’s oversight authority, unfairly benefits big companies such as A&T and would lead to a host of potential problems hurting customers in rural as well as urban areas.
—
Rob Nikolewski,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 June 2026
Which was hurting crowds and youth and getting people to go and stay there four hours.
—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
12 June 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.
-
Charles Frazier, Cold Mountain (1997) Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain is an aching, tender slow burn shaped by absence.
Verb
-
Primary hazards include damaging wind gusts, locally heavy rainfall and frequent lightning strikes, with hail and a brief tornado or waterspout also possible.
-
Nelson is doing fine now In 2000, Nelson was diagnosed with HIV and sarcoidosis, a condition that went into remission until a severe case of Legionnaires’ disease in 2021 reactivated it, damaging both his lungs and liver.
Verb
-
In 2022, for example, someone back-flipped off a bridge and into a raft, injuring a man and his son, according to previous Statesman reporting.
-
Ghazwan Kareem attended the rally on crutches after injuring his calf while playing soccer Friday night.
Verb
-
Scammers look for grieving spouses, newly single homeowners and families dealing with estate paperwork.
-
It’s set in a recognizably near-future, where a grieving couple who have recently lost their son in a tragic accident decides to adopt a humanoid child — one that looks and sounds the same as their dead child.
Adjective
-
However, Ukraine’s successes have highlighted its ability to inflict painful damage on Russia and change the course of the conflict while Moscow’s advances recently have ground to a near halt.
-
California’s already-high electricity rates have increased far faster than inflation, threaten progress on climate change and pose painful affordability burdens on residents and businesses, the Berkeley report said.
Verb
-
Lined with live oaks and old-fashioned, busy storefronts, this artsy town on the Gulf of Mexico has no commercial development marring its shoreline.
-
In Strasbourg, groups of Palace supporters clashed among themselves in a square in the city centre, marring the occasion.
Verb
-
Another strike Saturday targeted a group of people in the sprawling tent camp of Muwasi in southern Gaza, killing one and wounding eight others, according to Nasser Hospital, where the casualties were taken.
-
Another strike on Saturday targeted a group of people in the sprawling tent camp of Muwasi in southern Gaza, killing one and wounding eight others, according to Nasser hospital, where the casualties were taken.
Verb
-
The State of Colorado is mourning this tremendous loss alongside everyone who was impacted by Lynn.
-
He, like the objects, is stuck between here and the hereafter, and is mourning a lost love just as a new one introduces herself.
Cite this Entry
“Hurting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hurting. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
