1
as in harmful
causing or capable of causing harm
the most hurtful thing you can do to this silk dress is put it in the dryer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
her ex-husband said hurtful things that she could never forgive
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 hurtful
After his family was targeted with hurtful comments on social media during last season's AL Wild Card Series against the Red Sox, Schlittler responded with a dominant performance.
—
ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026
Dolores’ impact, like that of many other activists, will continue to guide us, regardless of the hurtful behavior of any one individual.
—Gloria Steinem, Time, 15 Apr. 2026
And ultimately, any negative or hurtful comments about the final design landscape should never reach the bride's ears.
—Nancy Mattia, Martha Stewart, 14 Apr. 2026
Early, hurtful experiences can cause children to see the world differently and to react in seemingly unpredictable ways.
—Dr. Andrew Garner, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hurtful
ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026
Dolores’ impact, like that of many other activists, will continue to guide us, regardless of the hurtful behavior of any one individual.
—Gloria Steinem, Time, 15 Apr. 2026
And ultimately, any negative or hurtful comments about the final design landscape should never reach the bride's ears.
—Nancy Mattia, Martha Stewart, 14 Apr. 2026
Early, hurtful experiences can cause children to see the world differently and to react in seemingly unpredictable ways.
—Dr. Andrew Garner, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hurtful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hurtful
Adjective
-
South Florida frequently sees sargassum washing ashore on its beaches, but the brown seaweed generally isn't harmful to humans.—
Sarah Perkel,
USA Today,
4 May 2026
-
Companies should be required to disclose how their algorithms promote content to minors and be held responsible for knowingly amplifying harmful material, including content linked to self-harm, exploitation, or harassment.—
Linh Tat,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
All this may explain why the war doesn’t linger in British memory as a painful loss.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
But Saturday’s loss will hurt for a while, with Messi delivering a message to the team following the painful result.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
3 May 2026
Adjective
-
Too much fertilizer can be detrimental to this wildflower.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Indeed, a large body of research has documented the detrimental impact of negative news on individuals’ mental and physical health, attitudes, and behaviors.—
Karen McIntyre,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Even his students can be casually cruel to each other, emulating a president that Artie almost cannot fathom.—
John Warner,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
-
Baseball is a sport built on failure surrounded by a cruel, cynical business, but this level of irony is almost too rich to digest.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
Primary storm hazards include locally damaging wind gusts, with low hazards for hail and a tornado.—
Garfield Hylton,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 May 2026
-
Brief damaging winds will blow down trees and power lines over small areas.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The barren landscape, despite its harsh conditions (daytime temperatures often exceed 125 degrees Fahrenheit), was—and still is—famous for its connection to many legends of treasure.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
8 May 2026
-
Drivers may also experience smoother brake operation because the system avoids the harsh pedal pulsing commonly associated with older anti-lock braking systems.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
Gabriel Basso stars as Sutherland, a formerly low-level FBI agent who has taken on increasingly dangerous assignments as part of a counterintelligence group within the bureau called Night Action.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
4 May 2026
-
Bessent has compared the Fed's growing balance sheet to a dangerous lab experiment.—
Steve Liesman,Matt Peterson,
CNBC,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
The most common adverse effects were jaundice, abdominal pain, and nausea.—
Patricia Weiser,
Verywell Health,
1 May 2026
-
As of April 30, no adverse reactions due to the consumption of the breakfast pizzas had been reported.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hurtful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hurtful. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
