hurt
hurt
Hurt (verb) means to cause physical pain or injury. Example: “Be careful with that knife, or you might hurt yourself.”
verb
1
To cause physical pain or injury.
"Be careful with that knife, or you might hurt yourself."
"My back hurts after sitting in that chair all day."
"She fell and hurt her ankle on the trail."
2
To cause emotional pain or distress.
"Please don't tease him about it, because it hurts him more than he shows."
"His harsh comment really hurt her feelings."
"It hurts to be left out of the group chat."
3
To damage or have a negative effect on something.
"Too little rain this summer hurt the farmers' harvest."
"Constant delays will hurt our chances of finishing on time."
"The scandal hurt the company's reputation badly."
adj
1
Injured, either physically or emotionally.
"The hurt dog limped slowly back to its owner."
"She felt hurt when her friends forgot to invite her."
"He was too hurt to play the second half of the match."
noun
1
Physical injury or emotional pain.
"There was real hurt in her voice when she talked about it."
"She tried to hide the hurt behind a bright smile."
"The child cried more from fright than from any real hurt."
How to use hurt
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo cause pain, physical or emotional, or to damage something.
Common pairings
hurt someone's feelings
get hurt
hurt pride
it hurts
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Word forms
- Plural
- hurts
- Third person singular
- hurts
- Comparative
- more hurt
- Superlative
- most hurt
- Archaic forms
- hurtest, hurtedst, hurteth
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Be careful with that knife, or you might _____ yourself.
Etymology
From Old French hurter ("to strike, collide with"), possibly from a Frankish word for a battering ram.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for hurt
See all rhymes for hurt →Frequently asked questions
What does “hurt” mean?
The word “hurt” means to cause physical pain or injury. In plain terms, to cause pain, physical or emotional, or to damage something.
How do you pronounce “hurt”?
“Hurt” is pronounced hurt (/hɝt/ in IPA).
How do you use “hurt” in a sentence?
Here is “hurt” used in a sentence: “She fell and hurt her ankle on the trail.”
What is another word for “hurt”?
Words with a similar meaning to “hurt” include ache, afflict, aggrieve, agonize, anguish and dere.
What is the opposite of “hurt”?
The opposite of “hurt” — its antonyms — are alleviate, analgesize, comfort, dave and ease.
What part of speech is “hurt”?
Depending on how it is used, “hurt” can be a verb, an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “hurt” come from?
The word “hurt” comes from Old French. From Old French hurter ("to strike, collide with"), possibly from a Frankish word for a battering ram.
Is “hurt” a common word?
“Hurt” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between 'hurt' and 'injure'?
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.
What is the difference between 'hurt' and 'harm'?
'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.
Can 'hurt' refer to emotional pain?
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.
What is an example of 'hurt' in a sentence?
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.
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