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
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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
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Recent Examples of hurtful
Ask them to forgive each other for any hurtful words or actions and to commit to reclaiming their sisterhood.
—
Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 26 July 2025
What kind of accountability could there be here for information that is posted that is inaccurate or simply hurtful?
—Elliot Williams, CNN Money, 25 July 2025
But the thing that’s even more [hurtful] is [Medwin] sort of introduced [John] to this coping mechanism to get over his own wife and children not being able to join him.
—Brande Victorian, HollywoodReporter, 25 July 2025
Some theories are deplorable, devoid of any credibility, with the conspiracists being hurtful and malicious.
—Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hurtful
Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 26 July 2025
What kind of accountability could there be here for information that is posted that is inaccurate or simply hurtful?
—Elliot Williams, CNN Money, 25 July 2025
But the thing that’s even more [hurtful] is [Medwin] sort of introduced [John] to this coping mechanism to get over his own wife and children not being able to join him.
—Brande Victorian, HollywoodReporter, 25 July 2025
Some theories are deplorable, devoid of any credibility, with the conspiracists being hurtful and malicious.
—Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hurtful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hurtful
Adjective
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These tools can help detect harmful symbols, explicit imagery or copyright violations before content is published.—
Anees Ali Khan,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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All of which are made from lightweight, dishwasher-safe plastic that’s free of harmful chemicals.—
Anja Webb,
Parents,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Although the condition itself isn’t typically painful, raw or blistered skin can lead to pain and swelling.7 Secondary skin infections—like if a blister is exposed to bacteria and gets infected—can also cause painful symptoms.—
Sarah Bradley,
Health,
15 Aug. 2025
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Once tooth enamel is lost, the tooth nerves are exposed, which is painful and makes the teeth sensitive.—
Thomas Westerholm,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Air pollution of all forms can be detrimental to health, but the tiny particles in smoke are particularly pernicious.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
13 Aug. 2025
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Losing Love for any stretch of time would be detrimental to the Packers' season.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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That is a particularly egregious example of how the Trump Administration has been gratuitously cruel to the Sudanese.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
5 Aug. 2025
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Stacy, Tim’s wife, also died of pancreatic cancer five months later in February of 2024, a cruel hand for a family that for years had gone above and beyond in their efforts to raise money and awareness for cancer research.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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In a surprising aside given the damaging, lurid testimony in the trial about Combs’ private life, Agnifilo said one of Diddy’s future goals is to perform at one of New York’s most iconic venues again.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
7 Aug. 2025
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Even though plants need sun to grow, too much scorching sunshine can be damaging.—
Claire Hoppe Norgaard,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The former Calle 13 member impresses her sensitivity to this piece, originally written by Orlando Brito and popularized in 1975 by the great Héctor Lavoe, giving it new life with her powerful, dramatic voice, accompanied by street guitars and harsh, aggressive chords that captivate the listener.—
Jessica Roiz,
Billboard,
15 Aug. 2025
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The report didn’t elaborate on that treatment but studies and surveys have previously highlighted the military’s notoriously harsh conditions.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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That said, the Revolution had promising spells of attacking play and even looked the more dangerous side in the first half.—
Julian Cardillo,
Boston Herald,
17 Aug. 2025
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In hilly terrain there are hundreds of low water crossings which are potentially dangerous in heavy rain.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The maintenance of a favorable risk-reward ratio over a shorter timeframe of 5 years is promising for retirement accounts – mitigating the risk of liquidation (if necessary) during adverse drawdown scenarios.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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Many models struggle to operate in adverse weather conditions, and drones have weight limits for parcels.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hurtful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hurtful. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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