hurt

The word “hurt” means to cause physical pain or injury. In plain terms, to cause pain, physical or emotional, or to damage something.

“Hurt” is pronounced hurt (/hɝt/ in IPA).

Here is “hurt” used in a sentence: “She fell and hurt her ankle on the trail.”

Words with a similar meaning to “hurt” include ache, afflict, aggrieve, agonize, anguish and dere.

The opposite of “hurt” — its antonyms — are alleviate, analgesize, comfort, dave and ease.

Depending on how it is used, “hurt” can be a verb, an adjective and a noun.

The word “hurt” comes from Old French. From Old French hurter ("to strike, collide with"), possibly from a Frankish word for a battering ram.

“Hurt” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

Both involve physical harm, but 'injure' is more specific and often more serious, implying actual damage to the body, like a broken bone. 'Hurt' is broader and covers everything from mild pain to real injury. A stubbed toe hurts; a car crash can injure you.

'Hurt' usually points to causing pain, whether a sharp physical sting or an emotional one. 'Harm' stresses lasting damage or ill effect, and can be more abstract — harming someone's health or reputation. You can hurt someone briefly without doing them any lasting harm.

Yes. Although the core meaning is to cause physical pain, 'hurt' very commonly describes emotional pain too — hurt feelings, or being hurt by an unkind remark. Context shows which is meant, and the same word covers both a physical ache and the sting of disappointment.

You can use it of yourself or others: 'I hurt my knee playing football', or 'Those words really hurt him'. It can also work without an object — 'my back hurts' — where it means to feel pain rather than to cause it.