HURT Synonyms: 294 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'hurt' distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of hurt are damage , harm , impair , injure , and mar . While all these words mean "to affect injuriously," hurt implies inflicting a wound to the body or to the feelings. // hurt by their callous remarks

Q: When can 'damage' be used instead of 'hurt'?

Although the words damage and hurt have much in common, damage suggests injury that lowers value or impairs usefulness. // a table damaged in shipping

Q: When might 'harm' be a better fit than 'hurt'?

The words harm and hurt can be used in similar contexts, but harm often stresses the inflicting of pain, suffering, or loss. // careful not to harm the animals

Q: When could 'impair' be used to replace 'hurt'?

The words impair and hurt are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, impair suggests a making less complete or efficient by deterioration or diminution. // years of smoking had impaired his health

Q: When would 'injure' be a good substitute for 'hurt'?

While in some cases nearly identical to hurt , injure implies the inflicting of anything detrimental to one's looks, comfort, health, or success. // badly injured in an accident

Q: When is 'mar' a more appropriate choice than 'hurt'?

While the synonyms mar and hurt are close in meaning, mar applies to injury that spoils perfection (as of a surface) or causes disfigurement. // the text is marred by many typos

hurt 1 of 3

verb

ˈhərt

Definition of hurt next

as in to ache

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in to damage

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

as in to injure

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to grieve

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

hurt

2 of 3

adjective

as in injured

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

hurt

3 of 3

noun

as in distress

a state of great suffering of body or mind in her hurt she said a lot of things to her boyfriend that she didn't really mean

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in harm

something that causes loss or pain a totally baseless accusation that caused lasting hurt to his reputation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word hurt distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of hurt are damage, harm, impair, injure, and mar. While all these words mean "to affect injuriously," hurt implies inflicting a wound to the body or to the feelings.

hurt by their callous remarks

When can damage be used instead of hurt?

Although the words damage and hurt have much in common, damage suggests injury that lowers value or impairs usefulness.

a table damaged in shipping

When might harm be a better fit than hurt?

The words harm and hurt can be used in similar contexts, but harm often stresses the inflicting of pain, suffering, or loss.

careful not to harm the animals

When could impair be used to replace hurt?

The words impair and hurt are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, impair suggests a making less complete or efficient by deterioration or diminution.

years of smoking had impaired his health

When would injure be a good substitute for hurt?

While in some cases nearly identical to hurt, injure implies the inflicting of anything detrimental to one's looks, comfort, health, or success.

badly injured in an accident

When is mar a more appropriate choice than hurt?

While the synonyms mar and hurt are close in meaning, mar applies to injury that spoils perfection (as of a surface) or causes disfigurement.

the text is marred by many typos

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 hurt

Verb

Sometimes love is messy and toxic and hurts people’s feelings, and that’s just Love Island, baby. —

Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 16 June 2026 Luckily, no one was hurt, and fire crews got it under control. —

Kayla Moeller, CBS News, 16 June 2026

Adjective

Ailing with a hurt knee and foot that kept him from elevating, the graduate transfer from Alabama Birmingham finished with 13 points on four-of-13 shooting. —

Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026 The hurt officers were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Scherer said. —

Julie Mendes, AZCentral.com, 25 Feb. 2026

Noun

Hall remembers being at a homegoing service for a youth lost to gun violence – witnessing a room filled with hurt, chaos, young people all over the place, Spencer came in like Casper, the Friendly Ghost – soothed the family and changed the temperature in the room without grabbing the mic. —

Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026 Anaia, feeling jilted that the letter was addressed only to Racine, cowers in hurt, like a street cat. —

Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 1 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for hurt

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hurt

Verb

But, as fans already know, that perky veneer is often a shroud over her aching vulnerability, which is spotlighted with intensity on her melodically mature third album, out now.

— Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 12 June 2026
The unconscious Moon in your 4th House of Home conjoins aching Chiron there, highlighting family patterns and house routines that need a kinder, more sustainable approach.

— Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 11 June 2026