HURTING Synonyms: 216 Similar and Opposite Words

hurting 1 of 2

adjective

as in aching

causing or feeling bodily pain a badly hurting finger kept her from writing neatly

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hurting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of hurt

as in throbbing

to feel or cause physical pain my head hurts a bad sprain that really hurts I hurt all over

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as in damaging

to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of don't worry that you'll hurt the new lawn by walking across it

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as in injuring

to cause bodily damage to the common belief that reading in poor light hurts your eyes

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as in grieving

to feel deep sadness or mental pain I know you must be hurting from the cruel words they said

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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 hurting

Verb

Sets with unbreakable backboards and breakaway rims are the best type for children because breakable boards and rigid rims can lead to the little ones hurting their fingers. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 24 Aug. 2026 Of course, there aren’t a lot of people alive who saw Wheat play, probably hurting him in the voting. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026 Analysts had long worried that a collapse of Evergrande could trigger wider risks for China’s property market, hurting homeowners and the broader global financial system. — Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026 Manual processes that create bottlenecks and even lead to payment denials can pose a serious threat to the practice’s bottom line, hurting its ability to compete in the marketplace regardless of the abilities of the dentists themselves. — Nia Bowers, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026 From our experience, those leaders who overcome their fear of hurting or disappointing others and begin to put results first can better ensure the ongoing success of their organizations as a whole. — Ron Ashkenas, Harvard Business Review, 19 Aug. 2026 Even more significant than any potential monetary penalty, however, is the possibility that Meta could be forced to make backend changes to its social media products, hurting its core advertising business. — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026 This raised the possibility of improper interference with the Armenian electoral process, possibly also hurting reconciliation efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan. — Daniel Markind, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Because that’s obviously hurting jobs and the film community in America. — Marlow Stern, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hurting

Adjective

The homestretch of the drama, however, takes the story in a chilling direction, packing an aching quantity of feeling into a single glance at a security camera as someone climbs into a car and leaves the compound, never to be heard from again.

— Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 26 May 2026
Charles Frazier, Cold Mountain (1997) Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain is an aching, tender slow burn shaped by absence.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026

Definition of aching

Verb

The strikes hit 12 locations across Kyiv’s Darnytskyi, Sviatoshynskyi and Solomianskyi districts, damaging residential buildings, a medical facility and an educational institution.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Oracle, for its part, argues that Project Jupiter will create massive investment for the region without damaging the environment.

— Bloomberg, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of damaging

Verb

Scott Quigley, then embedded with the Middlesex DA’s office, crashed his cruiser into a wheelchair van in December 2023, injuring a man inside who died at the hospital a month later.

— Boston Herald editorial staff, Boston Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
In 2021, a teen was arrested after wounding two students and injuring two others in a shooting at a high school in Newport News, Virginia.

— Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of injuring

Verb

The spirit of Neil — there’s no reason to think the grieving process is over five years later, six years later.

— Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 23 Aug. 2026
Oliver has been grieving throughout training camp and many of his teammates only learned of the tragic accident on Friday.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of grieving

Adjective

Every defendant has the right to appeal, and our thoughts and prayers remain with the Metcalf family in the painful wake of last week's hearing.

— Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026
The 55-year-old previously missed several weeks of the talk show amid recovery from painful gum surgery.

— Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of painful

Verb

To prevent a similar war from happening again, Menelaus scarred her face, permanently marring her famous beauty.

— Tanya Fedak, Variety, 18 July 2026
Lined with live oaks and old-fashioned, busy storefronts, this artsy town on the Gulf of Mexico has no commercial development marring its shoreline.

— Valerie Fraser Luesse, Southern Living, 16 June 2026

Definition of marring

Verb

In 2021, a teen was arrested after wounding two students and injuring two others in a shooting at a high school in Newport News, Virginia.

— Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
After the boat returned to shore, an airstrike followed, killing four men and wounding two others, the official said.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of wounding

Verb

Comments on Haaland's Instagram post teasing the cut are mixed, with some fans loving the update and others mourning the loss of that platinum ponytail.

— Kara Nesvig, Allure, 24 Aug. 2026
The Buffalo Bills are mourning the death of defensive tackle Ed Oliver’s 2-year-old son, the team announced Saturday.

— Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 22 Aug. 2026