hurtverb [ I or T ]
uk/hɜːt/us/hɝːt/hurt, hurtA2 to feel pain in a part of your body, or to injure someone or cause them pain:
Tell me where it hurts.
My head hurts.
She says that her ear hurts her.
Emma hurt her back when she fell off her horse.
Several people were seriously/badly hurt in the explosion.
B1 to cause emotional pain to someone:
She criticized my writing quite severely and that hurt.
He was badly hurt by the end of his marriage.
to cause harm or difficulty:
A lot of businesses are being hurt by the current high interest rates.
These allegations have seriously hurt her reputation.
Hard work never hurt anyone (= does no one any harm).
informal One more drink won't hurt (= won't cause any harm).
More examples
- Granny says if she stands (up) for a long time her ankles hurt.
- "My finger hurts," wailed the child.
- My throat is so sore that it really hurts when I swallow.
- The lights are too bright in here - they're hurting my eyes.
- It was an innocent remark, I didn't mean to hurt his feelings.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Pain & painful
- -racked
- achy
- agonizing
- cluster headache
- dodgy
- earache
- hell
- masochism
- non-ulcer stomach pain
- painful
- painfully
- rack
- racking
- shooting pains
- sore
- suffering
- tender
- throb
- torment
- wince
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Making people sad, shocked and upset
Damaging and spoiling
Idiom(s)
it doesn't hurt/never hurts to do sth
it wouldn't hurt you to do sth
hurtadjective [ after verb ]
uk/hɜːt/us/hɝːt/B1 injured or in pain:
Let me help you up. Are you hurt?
Put that knife away before someone gets hurt.
B1 upset or unhappy:
I feel very hurt by what you said.
"That was very unkind," he said in a hurt voice.
More examples
- I heard about the accident. Is anyone hurt?
- He fell off the stage but he's all right - it was only his pride that got hurt!
- Reports say that ten children and two teachers are hurt, but none seriously.
- She is suffering from hurt feelings after a fierce encounter with the boss this morning.
- The creature was hurt and distressed and had to be handled with caution.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Pain & painful
- -racked
- achy
- agonizing
- cluster headache
- dodgy
- earache
- hell
- masochism
- non-ulcer stomach pain
- painful
- painfully
- rack
- racking
- shooting pains
- sore
- suffering
- tender
- throb
- torment
- wince
See more results »
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Feeling sad and unhappy
hurtnoun [ S or U ]
uk/hɜːt/us/hɝːt/emotional pain:
The hurt after a relationship breaks up can be awful.
Her brave smile concealed a deep hurt.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Sadness and regret
- a heavy heart idiom
- be/weigh on your conscience idiom
- bitter
- bring a lump to/have a lump in your throat idiom
- broken-hearted
- gloom
- gloomy
- guilt
- guilt complex
- guilt trip
- guilt-ridden
- guilt trip
- lament
- mourn
- repent
- rue
- rue the day idiom
- rueful
- sackcloth
- sad
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