Meaning & use
hurt
Last updated
Meanings
verbtransitive
To cause someone or something physical pain or injury.
Grammar: Takes an object: the fall hurt my back.
Patterns
- hurt someone
- hurt yourself
Be careful not to hurt yourself on the sharp edge.
The fall hurt his knee badly.
Nobody was hurt in the accident.
verbintransitive
To feel pain, or to be painful.
Grammar: No object: my arm hurts.
Patterns
- something hurts
- it hurts to do something
My feet hurt after the long walk.
It hurts when I bend my elbow.
Does it hurt to swallow?
verbtransitive or intransitive
To make someone feel upset or emotionally wounded.
Grammar: With an object: her words hurt him. Without one: the criticism hurt.
Patterns
- hurt someone's feelings
- hurt someone
I didn't mean to hurt your feelings.
His careless remark hurt her deeply.
Rejection hurts, even when you expect it.
verbtransitive
To damage the chances, success or condition of something.
Grammar: Takes an object: the delay hurt sales.
Patterns
- hurt something
- hurt someone's chances
The late fee will hurt small businesses.
Bad weather hurt the harvest this year.
One mistake won't hurt your chances of getting the job.
Word forms
| third person singular | hurts |
|---|---|
| past tense | hurt |
| past participle | hurt |
| -ing form | hurting |
Common combinations
- hurt someone's feelings
- She was afraid of hurting his feelings.
- get hurt
- Wear a helmet so you don't get hurt.
- hurt badly
- He was hurt badly in the crash.
- hurt your chances
- Arriving late could hurt your chances.
- it hurts to
- It hurts to laugh with a cracked rib.
Synonyms and how they differ
- injure
- More formal, and used for physical harm, not feelings.
- ache
- Means a long, dull pain, and is only used for body parts.
- upset
- Covers emotional distress only, with no suggestion of pain.
- harm
- A broader and more formal word for damaging a person or thing.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: hurt or heart?
hurt vs heart
Heart is the organ, and looks like hurt with letters moved; the words are not related.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose one answer.
Hurt is irregular: the past tense is hurt. Hurted is not a word. The present perfect does not go with yesterday, and the continuous form changes the meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “hurt”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.