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
In that film, a group of high school girls create such a book to write hurtful rumors and gossip about other students.
—
Jay King, The Athletic, 13 Feb. 2025
Finally, tell your friends that their harsh comments are more hurtful than helpful.
—Harriette Cole, The Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2025
However, sometimes our discussions would turn into heated and hurtful arguments.
—Jeanne Phillips, The Mercury News, 2 Feb. 2025
These allegations are false and incredibly hurtful to both me and, more importantly, my family.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hurtful
Jay King, The Athletic, 13 Feb. 2025
Finally, tell your friends that their harsh comments are more hurtful than helpful.
—Harriette Cole, The Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2025
However, sometimes our discussions would turn into heated and hurtful arguments.
—Jeanne Phillips, The Mercury News, 2 Feb. 2025
These allegations are false and incredibly hurtful to both me and, more importantly, my family.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hurtful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hurtful
Adjective
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Scientists have found bits of plastic in the ocean that are coated in communities of microorganisms, including harmful bacteria.5 Jayakrishnan said the microplastics in the body may play a similar role, offering a medium for cancer-causing bacteria to grow and disrupt the gut microbiome.—
Claire Bugos,
Verywell Health,
7 Mar. 2025
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Cold water can increase blood flow to your face, boosting your skin's protection from free radicals, harmful compounds caused by exposure to UV light and pollution.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Whether a client hires a single architect to design a house or a team to work on a downtown plan with multiple community stakeholders, the architect-client relationship is rarely one of a painful struggle.—
Matt Shaw,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
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Throughout her childhood, Dee Dee subjected her Gypsy-Rose to years of painful medical procedures that were not needed.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Studies have also shown that exercising during times of poor air quality—for instance, when there is a high level of these fine particulates in the air—is detrimental to our health.—
Claire Maldarelli,
Scientific American,
28 Feb. 2025
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And all deal with American iconography: more specifically, the nation’s foundational reliance on mythology and self-dramatization and the largely detrimental impact of all of that on, well, just making love and having children and trying to keep the wolf from the door.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Immigration advocates call the crackdown cruel and wrongheaded and warn that many Latino U.S. citizens will likely suffer violations of their civil rights and possibly even get mistakenly deported.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
6 Mar. 2025
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As mere surrogates, the Trump-DeSantis fight to outdo each other through mean and cruel policies will go on.—
Letters to the Editor,
Orlando Sentinel,
6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The cyclone was already bringing heavy rainfall to coastal areas on Saturday, along with damaging winds and storm surges.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN,
7 Mar. 2025
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Tornadoes possible in East The Weather Channel warned that damaging winds and tornadoes were possible all day Wednesday from Pennsylvania to far northern Florida.—
Christopher Cann,
USA TODAY,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Her lyric vocal writing contends with harsh reality, but her style is never far from profound rapture.—
Mark Swed,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Feb. 2025
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Unlike Western cleansers, which often rely on harsh surfactants or astringent ingredients, Korean ones maintain the skin’s moisture barrier and natural pH balance, says Cho.—
Denise Primbet,
Glamour,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Tale of the Tape Texas Tech is a dangerous squad from deep and the Red Raiders aren’t shy at taking 3-pointers, ranking No. 93 in 3-point rate.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
1 Mar. 2025
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And maybe keep them away from a dangerous young Pistons team in the first round.—
Mike Lupica,
New York Daily News,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Environmental groups have long opposed the new reservoir and objected to a shorter judicial review, saying the project will release unacceptable amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas, into the air in addition to other adverse impacts.—
Ari Plachta,
Sacramento Bee,
28 Feb. 2025
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Severe chikungunya-like adverse reactions occurred in 1.6% of IXCHIQ recipients and none of the placebo recipients, according to the FDA.—
Jacqueline Howard,
CNN,
27 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hurtful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hurtful. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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