1
as in harmful
causing or capable of causing harm
the most hurtful thing you can do to this silk dress is put it in the dryer
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
her ex-husband said hurtful things that she could never forgive
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hurtful
That's just hurtful and not honest.
—
Sean Mandell,
PEOPLE,
8 June 2026
That kind of feedback is harmful, hurtful and no substance for what needs to change.
—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2026
Niall tells Ruben that his hurtful language over the years was a big part of his endless self-loathing.
—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
29 May 2026
If Sage Haven’s AI moderation system flags a text your child is about to send as potentially hurtful, the app pauses the message.
—
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal,
Parents,
25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hurtful
Sean Mandell,
PEOPLE,
8 June 2026
That kind of feedback is harmful, hurtful and no substance for what needs to change.
—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2026
Niall tells Ruben that his hurtful language over the years was a big part of his endless self-loathing.
—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
29 May 2026
If Sage Haven’s AI moderation system flags a text your child is about to send as potentially hurtful, the app pauses the message.
—
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal,
Parents,
25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hurtful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hurtful
Adjective
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The plasma process also produced very little smoke or tar, reducing harmful secondary pollutants typically associated with biomass conversion and making the technology a cleaner way to produce renewable solid fuel.
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At the same time, its flowers attract beneficial predatory insects, such as ladybugs and parasitic wasps, that naturally hunt harmful garden pests.
Adjective
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And that says something painful about what my country has become, and my place in it.
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For thousands of Venezuelans, however, the absence of definitive answers has become one of the tragedy’s most painful consequences.
Adjective
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And beneath the surface of those turquoise waters, marine life continues on without knowing their life is colliding in detrimental-to-them ways.
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Substance abuse is greatly detrimental in its own right, of course, but sometimes the issues that stem from it—stress, emotional exhaustion, secrecy, avoidance—can have similarly devastating long-term effects on a person’s wellbeing.
Adjective
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The heat has become so unbearable in Japan that weather officials in April announced a new term for days when maximum temperatures exceed 104 degrees — kokushobi, meaning harsh or cruel heat, according to the Japan Times.
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For thousands of Venezuelans, however, the lack of definitive answers has become one of the tragedy’s cruelest consequences.
Adjective
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Each specimen was weighed and put in the same-sized containers filled with superworm larvae to determine the optimal ratio of larvae to specimen for thorough cleaning without damaging bones.
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And such a gap can be far more damaging than any technology shortfall.
Adjective
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White settlers and frontier pioneers built vast, fenceless cattle stations, battling harsh environments and disease, embracing a hard-living culture that exists to this day.
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Dish Soap Using harsh chemicals on the outside of your toilet bowl and fixtures is not recommended, according to Meagher.
Adjective
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Teri handled higher-value finds and saw that potentially dangerous items – like firearms and knives – got to the local sheriff’s office.
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Looking back through the sequence, Brazil have good numbers back and there is little need for anyone to overcommit — but a lazy tackle from behind leads to a free kick in a dangerous area.
Adjective
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These conditions can increase your vulnerability to adverse effects from poor air quality.
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Valentine also testified that the FDA encourages infant formula companies to send in all adverse event reports and that nothing prevented Mead Johnson from doing so.
Cite this Entry
“Hurtful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hurtful. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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