hurtful
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- hurtfully adverb
- hurtfulness noun
- unhurtful adjective
- unhurtfully adverb
Etymology
Origin of hurtful
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Eight days later, Sotomayor issued an apology, saying her comment was inappropriate and hurtful.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026
"We don't even know if she took Tylenol during her pregnancy, but that was a hurtful moment for her."
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
Of course, you cannot unhear hurtful comments, but you can prevent them from impacting your performance.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 28, 2026
An actor for almost four decades, Lillard says he has built up a thick skin, but the comments were hurtful.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2026
“You’ve been mad all this time because I picked my best friend? And you thought retaliating by calling us horrible and hurtful names would fix things?”
From "Keep It Together, Keiko Carter" by Debbi Michiko Florence
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
