hurt; hurting
1
2
a
: to cause emotional pain or anguish to : offend
never meant to hurt you
got her feelings hurt
b
: to be detrimental to : hamper
charges of graft hurt his chances of being elected
1
a
: to suffer pain or grief
He says his tooth hurts.
has been hurting ever since learning of her friend's betrayal
b
: to be in need
—usually used with for
hurting for money
2
: to cause damage or distress
hit where it hurts
hurt
adjective
hurter
noun
Examples of hurt in a Sentence
Verb
Be careful with that knife or you could hurt yourself.
Ouch! You're hurting my arm!
She was badly hurt in a car accident.
My tooth still hurts me.
When I woke up this morning I hurt all over.
Their lack of interest in her work hurt her deeply.
You're only hurting yourself by holding a grudge against them.
It hurt me to see her go.
The lack of rain has hurt the corn crop.
If we lose this game it will seriously hurt our chances of making the play-offs.
Noun
Her sympathy eased the hurt he felt after his dog's death.
They felt a great hurt after their bitter divorce.
She tried to put past hurts behind her.
Recent Examples on the Web
Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
By the time a tooth starts hurting, the problem is usually more advanced, requiring more extensive treatment.
—Towncare Dental, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2025
Dalton Ross, EW.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Won't this loss of revenue hurt communities, including Florida, by the way?
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hurt
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
Draisaitl has played three games since getting hurt against Utah on March 18.
—Daniel Nugent-Bowman, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
By the time a tooth starts hurting, the problem is usually more advanced, requiring more extensive treatment.
—Towncare Dental, Miami Herald, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
If there was any hurt, if there was any friction in her life, if there was any trauma in her life, would that moment only now compound in a way that would be irreparable?
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Won't this loss of revenue hurt communities, including Florida, by the way?
—Dana Taylor, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hurt
Cite this Entry
“Hurt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hurt. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hurt
1 of 2 verb
hurt; hurting
1
a
: to cause physical pain to
b
: to do harm to : damage
2
a
: to cause mental suffering to : offend
the teasing hurts me
b
: hamper entry 1
injuries hurt our chances of winning
3
: to feel or cause pain
my tooth hurts
hurter
noun
hurt
2 of 2 noun1
: a cause of injury or damage
2
: a physical injury or wound
3
a
: physical pain
b
: mental distress : suffering
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