Hurtful refers to words, actions or behaviors causing emotional pain, distress or offense, often leading to feelings of sadness, anger or resentment. Hurtful interactions can damage relationships, erode trust and self-esteem.
Sample Sentences
- Her hurtful comments affected his confidence.
- The hurtful rumor spread quickly through social media.
- He struggled to forgive his friend’s hurtful betrayal.
- The teacher addressed the hurtful language used in class.
- The hurtful review discouraged the young artist.
- Her hurtful words still lingered in his memory.
- The hurtful situation made her question her relationship.
- The comedian’s joke was deemed hurtful by some audience members.
- The hurtful criticism impacted her mental health.
- He apologized for his hurtful behavior during the argument.
Synonyms
- Painful
- Hurt
- Damaging
- Harmful
- Wounding
- Cutting
- Bitter
- Caustic
- Scathing
- Crushing
- Devastating
- Demoralizing
- Demeaning
- Insulting
Antonyms
- Soothing
- Comforting
- Kind
- Gentle
- Supportive
- Encouraging
- Uplifting
- Healing
- Helpful
- Considerate
- Thoughtful
- Empathetic
Related Words and Phrases
- Hurtfulness
- Hurt
- Pain
- Sorrow
- Anguish
- Distress
- Agony
- Torment
- Suffering
- Heartache
- Inflict pain
- Cause hurt
- Wound
Phrasal Verbs and Idiomatic Expressions
- “Hurt someone’s feelings” (cause emotional pain)
- “Rub salt in the wound” (exacerbate hurt)
- “Twist the knife” (intensify hurt)
- “Pour salt on the wound” (aggravate hurt)
- “Add insult to injury” (increase hurt)
- “Cut to the quick” (deeply hurt)
- “Hit where it hurts” (exploit vulnerability)
- “Hurt to the core” (deeply emotionally wounded)