HURTFUL Synonyms: 141 Similar and Opposite Words

hurtful

adjective

ˈhərt-fəl

Definition of hurtful

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

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 Forget the fines and suspensions, most hurtful to fans is the league stripping the Clippers of five first-round draft picks, from 2029 through 2033. — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026 All through our relationship, my mother has said very hurtful things to me about our timeline, and also about my career. — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 4 Sep. 2026 Just remember, when your daughter repeats something hurtful, resist the urge to defend yourself or criticize her mother. — Jann Blackstone, Boston Herald, 30 Aug. 2026 But that has been hurtful because his power and exit velocities are average to below average. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hurtful

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hurtful

Adjective

Local government and outside groups have long strived to ban the popular tourist attraction that critics argue is harmful to horses’ well-being.

— Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026
Waters are becoming cloudier overall, while harmful algal blooms — measured through chlorophyll a levels — are trending in the wrong direction, the report found.

— Adam Thompson, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of harmful

Adjective

His path crosses with Naoko, a Japanese tourist carrying the weight of a painful past, and Ruby, a young child searching for his parents.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Rising financial strains on American workers are forcing them to make painful trade-offs, such as skipping medical care, to make ends meet, new research shows.

— Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of painful

Adjective

Hyperscalers opine on how detrimental electrical outages are to their business.

— Drew Robb, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Kennon, who is currently being held in Falkenburg Road Jail, was released from the program due to conduct detrimental to the team, the school said.

— Ryan Morik OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of detrimental

Adjective

In response to legislation to end the cruelty once and for all, the Daily News once again trotted out its old and tired defense of this cruel, deadly and outdated industry.

— Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026
Policing cringe is the cruelest métier of the internet—the origin of harassment campaigns and platforming of contempt.

— Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of cruel

Adjective

Strong overnight thunderstorms brought heavy rain and damaging winds to the Kansas City metro, prompting a tornado warning for Clay County and leaving thousands of people without power Wednesday morning.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026
In a culture marked by high-power distance, that’s a particularly damaging signal.

— Ryoji Sekido, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of damaging

Adjective

And now those still left in the battered city along Ukraine's southeastern front face death from hunger or disease as another harsh winter looms, with no agreement in sight for even a humanitarian evacuation.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Despite low winds and little rain, harsh surf continues to wreak havoc along Southern California's coastal communities.

— Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of harsh

Adjective

Swimmers should remain out of the water due to dangerous surf conditions.

— NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 18 Oct. 2026
Fresh to strong winds will produce dangerous boating conditions, high surf, life-threatening rip currents, and moderate beach erosion through at least the first half of the coming week, forecasters said.

— Felix Rodriguez, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of dangerous

Adjective

In fact, the National Trust for Historic Preservation says the nationwide average for a review is 16 days, and that 98% of those reviews conclude that the project will have no adverse effect on nearby historic resources.

— Rachel Treisman, NPR, 15 Oct. 2026
High prices also a factor But despite positive weather news and whispers of an abundance of crab, other factors could affect prices in adverse ways for consumers.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of adverse

Browse Nearby Words

hurt (for)

hurtful

hurtfully

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“Hurtful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hurtful. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of hurtful

adjective

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