hurt feelings
plural noun
: unhappiness or sadness caused by someone's words or actions
His behavior at the party caused a lot of hurt feelings.
Examples of hurt feelings in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In high-stress moments, people may not interpret words as intended, which can lead to frustration or hurt feelings.
—
David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Feb. 2025
Misunderstood sarcasm can cause a rift between you and your colleagues; your intention is probably not to hurt feelings or cause irritation, yet that is often the result.
—Anne Sugar, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
The voice memo, lasting more than six minutes, paints a picture of an empathetic director trying to smooth over any hurt feelings Lively felt regarding his response to her suggested rewrites of a key opening scene by apologizing profusely.
—Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Jan. 2025
However, as seen in this case, those decisions can sometimes cause unintended hurt feelings.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 25 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for hurt feelings 
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David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Feb. 2025
Misunderstood sarcasm can cause a rift between you and your colleagues; your intention is probably not to hurt feelings or cause irritation, yet that is often the result.
—Anne Sugar, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
The voice memo, lasting more than six minutes, paints a picture of an empathetic director trying to smooth over any hurt feelings Lively felt regarding his response to her suggested rewrites of a key opening scene by apologizing profusely.
—Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Jan. 2025
However, as seen in this case, those decisions can sometimes cause unintended hurt feelings.
—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 25 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for hurt feelings
Dictionary Entries Near hurt feelings
Cite this Entry
“Hurt feelings.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hurt%20feelings. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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