Meaning & use
hurting emotionally
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Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
Feeling emotional pain or distress, such as sadness, grief, or heartbreak.
Grammar: Used after linking verbs like 'be', 'feel', or 'seem': 'He is hurting emotionally.' It describes a state, not an action done to someone.
Patterns
- be hurting emotionally
- feel hurting emotionally
- someone is hurting emotionally
After the breakup, he was hurting emotionally for months.
She seemed fine at work, but at home she was hurting emotionally.
Children who are hurting emotionally often show it through their behavior.
phrasefixed phrase
Experiencing emotional pain as a result of a particular event or situation.
Grammar: Often followed by 'from' or 'because of' to name the cause: 'hurting emotionally from the loss.'
Patterns
- hurting emotionally from something
- hurting emotionally because of something
He was hurting emotionally from the criticism he received.
They were hurting emotionally because of the constant arguments at home.
Common combinations
- deeply hurting emotionally
- She was deeply hurting emotionally after her father died.
- still hurting emotionally
- He is still hurting emotionally, even a year later.
- hurting emotionally and physically
- The accident left her hurting emotionally and physically.
- admit you are hurting emotionally
- It took courage to admit he was hurting emotionally.
Synonyms and how they differ
- emotionally distressed
- More formal and often used in medical or professional reports; 'hurting emotionally' is plainer and more conversational.
- heartbroken
- Stronger and more specific: it usually means great sadness after a loss or rejection, while 'hurting emotionally' can cover a wider range of pain.
- in pain
- Usually refers to physical pain unless the context makes it clear it is emotional; 'hurting emotionally' removes that ambiguity.
Opposites
Word family
- hurt verb
- To cause emotional or physical pain.
- hurtful adjective
- Causing emotional pain.
- emotional adjective
- Relating to feelings.
- emotionally adverb
- In a way that relates to feelings.
Commonly confused: hurting emotionally or hurting physically? hurting emotionally or emotionally hurt?
hurting emotionally vs hurting physically
This refers to bodily pain, not emotional pain. 'Hurting emotionally' is about feelings like sadness or grief.
hurting emotionally vs emotionally hurt
This is a passive construction meaning someone caused you emotional pain; 'hurting emotionally' focuses on your ongoing state.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'hurting emotionally' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Option 0 is correct because 'hurting emotionally' follows the linking verb 'was' and is completed by a time phrase. Option 1 is missing 'after' before the clause. Option 2 is missing the auxiliary 'was'. Option 3 adds '-ly' to an adverb that already ends in '-ly'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “hurting emotionally”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.