1
as in aches
to feel or cause physical pain
my head hurts a bad sprain that really hurts I hurt all over
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in damages
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
don't worry that you'll hurt the new lawn by walking across it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in injures
to cause bodily damage to
the common belief that reading in poor light hurts your eyes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in grieves
to feel deep sadness or mental pain
I know you must be hurting from the cruel words they said
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in pains
a state of great suffering of body or mind
in her hurt she said a lot of things to her boyfriend that she didn't really mean
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in harms
something that causes loss or pain
a totally baseless accusation that caused lasting hurt to his reputation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hurts
Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 26 Apr. 2026
Inflation hurts on so many levels.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026
In the Iran war, experts say, China's close economic and political ties to Tehran put it in a unique position of influence as the conflict hurts the global energy supply, especially in Asia.
—ABC News, 23 Apr. 2026
In the Iran war, experts say, China’s close economic and political ties to Tehran put it in a unique position of influence as the conflict hurts the global energy supply, especially in Asia.
—Huizhong Wu, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
High gasoline prices and higher prices for fertilizer have been hitting farmers all over the world and that hurts the stock.
—Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 22 Apr. 2026
Charging for access limits foot traffic in one of our most important cultural areas and hurts working families.
—Jacob Mitchell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
Accountability makes everything easier, and a little friendly competition never hurts.
—Cheryl Russell, Oc Register, 19 Apr. 2026
Longtime ethics expert Meredith McGehee said that members have been reluctant to expel their colleagues in recent years because of the razor-thin majorities in the House, but that not doing so hurts the credibility of the institution.
—Ana Ceballos, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Being rejected hurts, and finding success may not erase the emotional residue of all those prior rebuffs.
—Anna Holmes, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2026
Work On Your Personal Relationships Work on your most significant personal relationship to shore up conflict, hurts and wounds, and turn it into one that is life-giving and energizing.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Verb
Yes, DiVincenzo’s absence hurts Minnesota’s prospects of making a deep playoff push.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 26 Apr. 2026
Inflation hurts on so many levels.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026
In the Iran war, experts say, China's close economic and political ties to Tehran put it in a unique position of influence as the conflict hurts the global energy supply, especially in Asia.
—ABC News, 23 Apr. 2026
In the Iran war, experts say, China’s close economic and political ties to Tehran put it in a unique position of influence as the conflict hurts the global energy supply, especially in Asia.
—Huizhong Wu, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
High gasoline prices and higher prices for fertilizer have been hitting farmers all over the world and that hurts the stock.
—Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 22 Apr. 2026
Charging for access limits foot traffic in one of our most important cultural areas and hurts working families.
—Jacob Mitchell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
Accountability makes everything easier, and a little friendly competition never hurts.
—Cheryl Russell, Oc Register, 19 Apr. 2026
Longtime ethics expert Meredith McGehee said that members have been reluctant to expel their colleagues in recent years because of the razor-thin majorities in the House, but that not doing so hurts the credibility of the institution.
—Ana Ceballos, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
Noun
Modern play calling insists on going for it on fourth downs, particularly in the opponent’s territory, because converting on fourth down helps more than failing to convert on fourth down hurts.
—Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Being rejected hurts, and finding success may not erase the emotional residue of all those prior rebuffs.
—Anna Holmes, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2026
Work On Your Personal Relationships Work on your most significant personal relationship to shore up conflict, hurts and wounds, and turn it into one that is life-giving and energizing.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hurts
Verb
-
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the symptoms of Legionnaires' disease are similar to those of other types of pneumonia, including cough, fever, headache, muscle aches, and shortness of breath.—
Carly Sauvageau,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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Babesiosis, transmitted by blacklegged ticks, can cause flu-like symptoms — fever, chills, fatigue and muscle aches — and can be severe or fatal in older adults or those with weakened immune systems, according to scientists.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Mercury damages the nervous system.—
Anton L. Delgado,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Antisemitism weakens trust, corrodes pluralism and damages the social fabric on which diverse communities depend.—
Laurence Milstein,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This storyline later appeared in the second season of Girls, as Dunham’s character Hannah is overwhelmed with the anxiety of writing a novel and similarly injures herself.—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Apr. 2026
-
In her desperation to ask Val for a job on the new sitcom, Sharon falls and injures herself.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The film follows a woman who grieves the loss of her mother by secretly attending the funerals of strangers.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Another family quietly grieves in North Carolina While the string of attacks rattles several communities in Georgia, Prianna Weathers’ mother mourns privately in her North Carolina home.—
Holly Yan,
CNN Money,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Iran’s political leadership has been at pains to dispel reports of infighting and to project a unified approach to the country’s military objectives and negotiating strategy.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The pressures of fame and the pains of Michael’s brand of friendlessness are barely explored, beyond the requisite scenes of screaming fans crowding outside the family estate and a terrified Michael attempting to get away from them (while still politely waving).—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Lehkonen closed quickly and started a break the other way, with his brother-in-harms, O'Connor, racing to the Finn's right.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Invisible, tasteless and odorless, nitrates in drinking water have been linked to thyroid disease, certain cancers and other health harms.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
My boredom typically spurs feelings of frustration, guilt, shame—and long nutritionless spells of goggling, slack-jawed, at celebrity news on my phone while the world throbs around me.—
Daniel Smith,
The Atlantic,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Pain that is not a word throbs in his shoulders, awakens him each morning.—
Rosa Lyster,
Harpers Magazine,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
No sadness mars the purity of its paranoia.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2026
-
However, an earnestness mars most of the proceedings.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hurts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hurts. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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