I didn't mean to hurt you.
Source: tatoeba (17044)
Hurt
/hɜːt/
Synonyms for "hurt" (509 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (102)
abominationabradeabrasionabuseacheaches and painsachingaffectaffectedafflictafflictedaffrontaggravateaggravatedaggrieveaggrievedagonizeagonizedagonyail
Show 68 more words
anguishanguishedatrocitybadbanebangbang intobankruptcybarb the dartbarkbefoulbefoulmentbewitchbiteblanchbleedbleedingblemishblenchblightbloodyblowbreakbreakagebreakdownbrokenbruisebruisedbumpbump intoburnburnedburstbustedcannoncaromcarom intochafecheckcheckedchipchippedclashclawcollapsecollidecome into collisionconcussconcussioncondemnconfront each otherconstrainconvulseconvulsedcorruptcorruptioncrackcrack upcrack-upcrackedcracklecrampcrashcrash intocrazecrazedcripplecrippling
Strong matches (153)
Adjective(1 words)
crucifiedcrucifycrumpcrunchcrying evilcursecutcut updamagedamageddash intodebilitatedefectivedefiledefilementdejecteddepravedepressdepresseddepression
Show 114 more words
despitedespoildespoliationdestroydestructiondeterioratedeteriorateddetractiondetrimentdilapidatedilapidateddilapidationdisabledisablementdisadvantagedisappointdiscomfortdismaldisrepairdisservedistressdistresseddo a mischiefdo evildo illdo wrongdo wrong bydolordoomdrawbackembitterembitteredencounterencroachmentendamageenvenomevilexacerbateexacerbatedexcruciatefall foul offeel painfeel the pangsfesterflash burnflawfly in the ointmentfoulfracturefrayfrazzlefretgallgashgetget into troublegive offensegive paingive umbragegloomygnawgo hard withgrategrazegriefgrievancegrievegrievedgrimacegrindgripehandicapharassharmharmedharrowharrowedhave a miseryhavochexhithit againsthobblinghurt the feelingshurtinghurtleillimpairimpairedimpairmentimperfectimpingein bitsin distressin painin piecesin shardsincapacitateincapacitationinciseincisioninfectinfectioninflameinflict paininfringementinjureinjuredinjuryinjusticeinroadirritateirritatedjinx
Noun(12 words)
Related words (254)
killkill by inchesknockknock againstlaceratelaceratedlacerationlamelesionliabilitylossloss of groundmaimmaimingmake mincemeat ofmake worsemalaisemaltreatmanglemangled
Show 188 more words
marmarredmartyrmartyredmartyrizemartyrizedmaulmauledmayhemmeetmelancholymenacemischiefmischievousnessmiserymishandlemistreatmisusemolestmortal woundmournfulmutilatemutilatedmutilationnasty blownipoffenceoffendon the rackoutragepainpainedpangpassionpercusspersecutepiercepinchplay havoc withplay hob withpoisonpollutepollutionpoundprejudiceprickprolong the agonypuncturepunishput backput to torturerackrackedranklerasprendrentriprubruefulruinruinationruinousnessrumrunrun intorupturerupturedsabotagesadsadnesssavagescaldscaldedscarredscatheschmerzscorchscorchedscotchscrapescratchscratchedscuffsecond-degree burnshatteredshockshootshrinksickeningsideswipeskinslamslam intoslanderslashslashedslitsmacksmack intosmartsmashsmash intosmash upsmashedsnake in the grasssoresore spotsorrowfulspasmsplitspoilspoilingsprainsprungstabstab woundstep backwardstickstingstrainstressstress of lifestrikestrike againststrokestungsuffersuffer anguishsufferingtainttarnishteartender spotthe worse forthe worstthird-degree burnthreatenthrillthrobthroestingletormenttormentedtorntorturetorturedtoxintrampletraumatraumatizetweaktwingetwisttwist the knifetwistedtwitchunder the harrowunhappyupsetvenomvexationviolatevitiateweakenweakenedweakeningwhompwincewoewoebegonewornworseworse offworsenworsenedwoundwoundedwounds immedicablewreak havocwreak havoc onwrenchwretchedwringwrithewrongwrongedwrung
Verb(16 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: ache, anguish, damage, distress, injury.
- Sentence evidence is available for hurt, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wiktionary, wordnet, opengloss, moby, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "hurt".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "hurt"
Keep "hurt" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "hurt" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "hurt", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "hurt" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
37 entriesaffectarousebodily conditioncause to be perceivedchange of integritydamagediscomfitdiscomposedisconcertelicitemotional stateenkindleevokeexperience
Showing 16 of 37 words.
More specific
20 entriesShowing 16 of 20 words.
Collocations
14 entriesacute hurtdeep hurtemotional hurthurt credibilityhurt efficiencyhurt egohurt feelingshurt kneehurt moralehurt performancehurt pridehurt reputationmoral hurtphysical hurt
Inflections
4 entriesDerivations
4 entriessimilar
14 entriesTranslations
45 translations across 26 languages.
Armenian
1 entries- ցավեցնել verb (to cause emotional pain)
Bulgarian
1 entries- оби́ждам verb (to cause emotional pain)
Catalan
1 entries- ferir verb (to cause emotional pain)
Czech
1 entries- ranit verb (to cause emotional pain)
Dutch
2 entries- kwetsen verb (to cause emotional pain)
- pijn doen verb (to cause emotional pain)
Finnish
2 entries- loukata verb (to cause emotional pain)
- satuttaa verb (to cause emotional pain)
French
2 entries- blesser verb (to cause emotional pain)
- faire mal verb (to cause emotional pain)
Galician
2 entries- doer verb (to cause emotional pain)
- magoar verb (to cause emotional pain)
German
1 entries- quälen verb (to cause emotional pain)
Hungarian
3 entries- bánt verb (to cause emotional pain)
- megbánt verb (to cause emotional pain)
- sért verb (to cause emotional pain)
Irish
1 entries- gortaigh verb (to cause emotional pain)
Japanese
1 entries- 傷付ける verb (to cause emotional pain)
Kapampangan
2 entries- kesugatan verb (to cause emotional pain)
- masakit verb (to cause emotional pain)
Latin
1 entries- laedō verb (to cause emotional pain)
Latvian
1 entries- sāpināt verb (to cause emotional pain)
Middle English
1 entries- hurten verb (to cause emotional pain)
Old English
1 entries- ābelgan verb (to cause emotional pain)
Ottoman Turkish
3 entries- داغلامق verb (to cause emotional pain)
- قیرمق verb (to cause emotional pain)
- ییقمق verb (to cause emotional pain)
Polish
4 entries- dręczyć verb (to cause emotional pain)
- gnębić verb (to cause emotional pain)
- krzywdzić verb (to cause emotional pain)
- ranić verb (to cause emotional pain)
Portuguese
1 entries- magoar verb (to cause emotional pain)
Russian
4 entries- оби́деть verb (to cause emotional pain)
- обижа́ть verb (to cause emotional pain)
- пора́нить verb (to cause emotional pain)
- причини́ть боль verb (to cause emotional pain)
Spanish
1 entries- adolorar verb (to cause emotional pain)
Swedish
1 entries- såra verb (to cause emotional pain)
Tagalog
1 entries- saktan verb (to cause emotional pain)
Telugu
1 entries- మనసు మెలిపెట్టు verb (to cause emotional pain)
White Hmong
1 entries- mob verb (to cause emotional pain)
Sample sentences
26 total sentences available.
My shoes hurt. I'm in agony.
Source: tatoeba (18113)
These shoes are too tight. They hurt.
Source: tatoeba (18119)
Did she hurt that kitten?
Source: tatoeba (20203)
Showing 4 of 26 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "hurt"?
Closest matches include ache, anguish, damage, distress, injury.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "hurt"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.