hurt someone

Meanings

1. 1phraseidiom

   to cause physical pain or injury to another person.

   Grammar: Use it with a direct object: hurt someone, hurt him, hurt the child.

   Patterns

   • hurt someone badly
   • hurt someone in an accident
   • hurt someone's arm

   Be careful with that knife, or you'll hurt someone.

   The fall hurt him, but he was able to walk.

   She was hurt in the crash and taken to hospital.

2. 2phraseidiom

   to make another person feel sad, upset, or offended.

   Grammar: Often used about words or actions: your remarks hurt someone.

   Patterns

   • hurt someone deeply
   • hurt someone's pride
   • be hurt by something

   I didn't mean to hurt you with that comment.

   His rude joke hurt her, and she left the room.

   She was deeply hurt by what they said.

3. 3phraseidiom

   to damage someone's interests, chances, or reputation.

   Grammar: Used about things like lies, delays, or bad decisions.

   Patterns

   • hurt someone's chances
   • hurt someone's reputation
   • hurt someone financially

   The scandal hurt his chances of getting the job.

   Rising costs are hurting small businesses.

   That rumor could hurt her reputation.

Common combinations

hurt someone badly

He fell off his bike and hurt himself badly.

hurt someone's feelings

I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings.

hurt someone's chances

The delay hurt our chances of winning the contract.

get hurt

Several people got hurt in the accident.

hurt someone deeply

The betrayal hurt him deeply.

Synonyms and how they differ

injure

More formal and usually about physical harm; use injure in news reports and medical contexts.

wound

Suggests a cut or hole in the body, often from a weapon or sharp object.

upset

Focuses on the emotional result and is milder; hurt someone can suggest lasting pain.

harm

More formal and often about damage in general, not always a person's feelings.

Opposites

Word family

hurtful adjective

causing emotional pain, as in a hurtful remark.

hurt noun

pain or emotional suffering, as in the hurt he felt.

hurt adjective

injured or upset, as in a hurt expression.

Commonly confused: hurt someone or harm someone?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “hurt someone”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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