hurtful

adjective

hurt·​ful ˈhərt-fəl How to pronounce hurtful (audio)
Synonyms of hurtfulnext
: causing injury, detriment, or suffering : damaging
hurtfully adverb
hurtfulness noun

Examples of hurtful in a Sentence

She can't forgive him for the hurtful things he said. Their comments were really hurtful to me.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Senior Rebecca Warner, who identifies as a lesbian, did not attend the meeting, but was approached by one student leaving the meeting who made a hurtful comment about her sexuality. Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 13 Dec. 2025 Osbourne wrapped up her rant on social media with one last point about the people who leave the hurtful comments on her page. Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 11 Dec. 2025 Erivo found such alterations hurtful. Zack Sharf, Variety, 24 Nov. 2025 However, while yes hurtful, my heart remains filled with joy, my life is filled with happiness, and my true convictions remain unchanged because my self worth is not defined by a man, but instead by God who created everything in existence. Richard Hall, Time, 22 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hurtful

Word History

First Known Use

1526, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hurtful was in 1526

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hurtful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hurtful. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

hurtful

adjective
hurt·​ful ˈhərt-fəl How to pronounce hurtful (audio)
: causing injury or suffering : damaging
hurtfully adverb
hurtfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on hurtful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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