Meanings
hurt1
present singular third person hurts · participle present hurting · archaic nonstandard participle past hurted · archaic nonstandard past hurted · archaic present second person singular hurtest · archaic past second person singular hurtedst · present singular third person hurts · archaic present singular third person hurteth · participle present hurting
- intransitivetransitiveTo damage, harm, impair, undermine, impede.
This latest gaffe hurts the legislator’s reelection prospects still further.
4 more examples
Copying and pasting identical portions of source code hurts maintainability, because the programmer has to keep all those copies synchronized.
It wouldn't hurt to check the weather forecast and find out if it's going to rain.
He that hath eeris, here he, what the spirit seith to the chirchis. He that ouercometh, schal not be hirt of the secounde deth.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
c. 1382–1395, John Wycliffe [et al.], edited by Josiah Forshall and Frederic Madden, The Holy Bible, […], volume IV (in Middle English), Oxford: At the University Press, published 1850, →OCLC, Apocalypse II:11, page 643, column 1The Harpe. […] A harper with his wreſt maye tune the harpe wrong / Mys tunying of an Inſtrument ſhal hurt a true ſonge
1568, William Cornishe, “A treatise betwene Trouth, and Information”, in J[ohn] S[tow], editor, Pithy Pleasaunt and Profitable Workes of Maister Skelton, Poete Laureate, London, →OCLC; republished as Pithy Pleasaunt and Profitable Workes of Maister Skelton, Poete Laureate to King Henry the VIIIth, London: Printed for C. Davis in Pater-noster Row, 1736, →OCLC, page 290Synonyms: mar, thwart, behedge, blunt, crimp, foreclose, delay, difficult
comparative more hurt · superlative most hurt
plural hurts
- countableuncountableAn emotional or psychological humiliation or bad experience.
how to overcome old hurts of the past
1 more example
Jules Rimet still gleaming Thirty years of hurt Never stopped me dreaming
1996, “Three Lions”, performed by David Baddiel and Frank SkinnerSynonyms: embarrassment, ignominy, abasement, disgrace, dishonour, embarrassment, humiliation, ignominy
- archaiccountableuncountableA bodily injury causing pain; a wound or bruise.
I have received a hurt.
c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act VII, (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)]3 more examples
The cause is a temperate conglutination ; for both bodies are clammy and viscous , and do bridle the deflux of humours to the hurts , without penning them in too much
1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “VII. Century.”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLCThe pains of sickness and hurts […] all men feel.
1693, [John Locke], “§107”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], →OCLCIt chanced that one day, while he was fishing, one of the two men received a mortal hurt from a little fish and died.
1918, James George Frazer, Folk-Lore In The Old Testament, volume 1, page 40 - archaiccountableuncountableInjury; damage; detriment; harm
Thou dost me yet but little hurt.
1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii] - countableuncountableengineeringA band on a trip hammer's helve, bearing the trunnions.
- countableuncountableA husk.
hurt2
Hurt3
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo cause (a person or animal) physical pain and/or injury.
verbTo cause (somebody) emotional pain.
verbTo damage, harm, impair, undermine, impede.
adjectiveWounded, physically injured.
adjectiveFeeling physical or emotional pain.
nounAn emotional or psychological humiliation or bad experience.
More synonyms by meaning
nounany physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.; the condition of an injury
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
hurt · verb, adjective, noun
- Proto-Germanic*herutuz
- Old Norsehrútr“ram (male sheep)”
- Old English*hyrtan
- Proto-Indo-European*krew-“to fall, beat, smash, strike, break”
- Frankish*hūrt“a battering ram”
- Old Northern Frenchhurter
- Middle Englishhurten
- Englishhurt
From Middle English hurten, hirten, hertan (“to injure, scathe, knock together”), from Old Northern French hurter ("to ram into, strike, collide with"; > Modern French heurter), perhaps from Frankish *hūrt (“a battering ram”), cognate with Welsh hwrdd (“ram”) and Cornish hordh (“ram”). Compare Proto-Germanic *hrūtaną, *hreutaną (“to fall, beat”), from Proto-Indo-European *krew- (“to fall, beat, smash, strike, break”); however, the earliest instances of the verb in Middle English are as old as those found in Old French, which leads to the possibility that the Middle English word may instead be a reflex of an unrecorded Old English *hyrtan, which later merged with the Old French verb. Germanic cognates include Dutch horten (“to push against, strike”), Middle Low German hurten (“to run at, collide with”), Middle High German hurten (“to push, bump, attack, storm, invade”), Old Norse hrútr (“battering ram”). Alternate etymology traces Old Northern French hurter rather to Old Norse hrútr (“ram (male sheep)”), lengthened-grade variant of hjǫrtr (“stag”), from Proto-Germanic *herutuz, *herutaz (“hart, male deer”), which would relate it to English hart (“male deer”). See hart.
More words from Middle English, Old Northern French, Frankish
Full word history & related roots →hurt · noun
Unclear. Suggestions include: from its resemblance to a blue hurtleberry, or from French heurt (a blow, leaving a blue bruise), the latter of which would make it a doublet of hurt Etymology 1; compare the theories about golpe (“purple roundel”)).
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek λυπέω
- λυπέω (lupéō)to cause physical pain and/or injury
Arabic جَرَحَ, أَلِمَ
- جَرَحَ (jaraḥa)to cause physical pain and/or injury
- أَلِمَ (ʔalima)to be painful, to ache
- وَجِعَ (wajiʕa)to be painful, to ache
Basque min egin
- min eginto be painful, to ache
Bulgarian раня́вам, нараня́вам
- раня́вам (ranjávam)to cause physical pain and/or injury
- нараня́вам (naranjávam)to cause physical pain and/or injury
- причиня́вам бо́лка (pričinjávam bólka)to cause physical pain and/or injury
- оби́ждам (obíždam)to cause emotional pain — see also shame
- боли́ (bolí)to be painful, to ache
- ранен (ranen)wounded, injured
- обиден (obiden)pained
- болка (bolka)An emotional or psychological pain or bad experience
Catalan ferir, danyar
- ferirto cause physical pain and/or injury
- danyarto cause physical pain and/or injury
- ferirto cause emotional pain — see also shame
- doldreto be painful, to ache
- dolerto be painful, to ache
- fer malto be painful, to ache
- feritwounded, injured
- ofèspained
Chinese Cantonese 傷害 /伤害, 整傷 /整伤
- 傷害 /伤害 (soeng¹ hoi⁶)to cause physical pain and/or injury
- 整傷 /整伤to cause physical pain and/or injury
- 痛 (tung³)to be painful, to ache
Chinese Mandarin 傷害 /伤害, 傷 /伤
- 傷害 /伤害 (shānghài)to cause physical pain and/or injury
- 傷 /伤 (shāng)to cause physical pain and/or injury
- 疼 (téng)to be painful, to ache
- 痛 (tòng)to be painful, to ache
Czech ranit, poranit
- ranitto cause physical pain and/or injury
- poranitto cause physical pain and/or injury
- ranitto cause emotional pain — see also shame
- boletto be painful, to ache
Danish gøre ondt
- gøre ondtto be painful, to ache
Dutch pijn doen, pijnigen
- pijn doento cause physical pain and/or injury
- pijnigento cause physical pain and/or injury
- kwellento cause physical pain and/or injury
- kwetsento cause physical pain and/or injury
- pijn doento cause emotional pain — see also shame
- kwetsento cause emotional pain — see also shame
- pijn doento be painful, to ache
- zeer doento be painful, to ache
- gekwetstwounded, injured
- gewondwounded, injured
- geblesseerdwounded, injured
- gekwetstpained
Esperanto vundi, dolorigi
- vundito cause physical pain and/or injury
- dolorigito cause physical pain and/or injury
- damaĝito cause physical pain and/or injury
- dolorito be painful, to ache
Estonian valutama
- valutamato be painful, to ache
Finnish satuttaa, loukata
- satuttaato cause physical pain and/or injury
- loukatato cause physical pain and/or injury
- kolhaistato cause physical pain and/or injury
- vahingoittaato cause physical pain and/or injury
- teloato cause physical pain and/or injury
- satuttaato cause emotional pain — see also shame
- loukatato cause emotional pain — see also shame
- sattuato be painful, to ache
- koskeato be painful, to ache
- jomottaato be painful, to ache
- särkeäto be painful, to ache
- pakottaato be painful, to ache
- haavoittunutwounded, injured
- loukkaantunutwounded, injured
- loukkaantunutpained
French blesser, faire mal
- blesserto cause physical pain and/or injury
- faire malto cause emotional pain — see also shame
- blesserto cause emotional pain — see also shame
- faire malto be painful, to ache
- blesséwounded, injured
- heurteblue roundel
German verletzen, quälen
- verletzento cause physical pain and/or injury
- quälento cause emotional pain — see also shame
- weh tunto be painful, to ache
- schmerzento be painful, to ache
- verletztwounded, injured
Greek πληγώνω, τραυματίζω
- πληγώνω (pligóno)to cause physical pain and/or injury
- τραυματίζω (travmatízo)to cause physical pain and/or injury
- λυπώ (lypó)to cause physical pain and/or injury
- χτυπώ (chtypó)to cause physical pain and/or injury
- πονώ (ponó)to be painful, to ache
Hebrew פָּגַע, הִכְאִיב
- פָּגַע (pagáʿ)to cause physical pain and/or injury
- הִכְאִיב (hikhʾív)to cause physical pain and/or injury
- כָּאַב (kaʾáv)to be painful, to ache
Hindi दर्द करना, घायल
- दर्द करना (dard karnā)to be painful, to ache
- घायल (ghāyal)wounded, injured
- आहत (āhat)wounded, injured
Hungarian bánt, fájdalmat okoz
- bántto cause physical pain and/or injury
- fájdalmat okozto cause physical pain and/or injury
- ártto cause physical pain and/or injury
- sértto cause emotional pain — see also shame
- bántto cause emotional pain — see also shame
- megbántto cause emotional pain — see also shame
- fájto be painful, to ache
- sérültwounded, injured
- megsérültwounded, injured
- sebesültwounded, injured
Icelandic særa, meiða
- særato cause physical pain and/or injury
- meiðato cause physical pain and/or injury
- vera vontto be painful, to ache
- meiðato be painful, to ache
Indonesian melukai, melukai
- melukaito cause physical pain and/or injury
- melukaito be painful, to ache
Irish gortaigh, gortaigh
- gortaighto cause physical pain and/or injury
- gortaighto cause emotional pain — see also shame
- gortaithewounded, injured
Italian ferire, danneggiare
- ferireto cause physical pain and/or injury
- danneggiareto cause physical pain and/or injury
- dolereto be painful, to ache
- fare maleto be painful, to ache
- feritowounded, injured
Japanese 傷つける, 痛める
- 傷つける (kizutsukeru)to cause physical pain and/or injury
- 痛める (itameru)to cause physical pain and/or injury
- 傷付ける (kizutsukeru)to cause emotional pain — see also shame
- 痛む (itamu)to be painful, to ache
- 痛い (itai)to be painful, to ache
- 傷付いた (kizutsuita)wounded, injured
- 腹立たしげだ (haradatashige da)pained
Korean 해치다, 아프다
- 해치다 (haechida)to cause physical pain and/or injury
- 아프다 (apeuda)to be painful, to ache
- 아픈 (apeun)wounded, injured
Latin laedō, sauciō
- laedōto cause physical pain and/or injury
- sauciōto cause physical pain and/or injury
- laedōto cause emotional pain — see also shame
- doleōto be painful, to ache
- laesuswounded, injured
Latvian sāpināt, sāpināt
- sāpinātto cause physical pain and/or injury
- sāpinātto cause emotional pain — see also shame
- sāpētto be painful, to ache
Lithuanian skaudėti, sopėti
- skaudėtito be painful, to ache
- sopėtito be painful, to ache
Malay sakit
- sakitto be painful, to ache
Māori whakamamae, uruhua
- whakamamaeto cause physical pain and/or injury
- uruhuaAn emotional or psychological pain or bad experience
- pākikiniAn emotional or psychological pain or bad experience
- mamaeAn emotional or psychological pain or bad experience
Norwegian skade, gjøre vont
- skadeto cause physical pain and/or injury
- gjøre vontto be painful, to ache
- svidato be painful, to ache
- skadetwounded, injured
Persian درد کشیدن, زخمی
- درد کشیدن (dard kešidan)to be painful, to ache
- زخمی (zaxmi)wounded, injured
Polish sprawiać ból, ranić
- sprawiać bólto cause physical pain and/or injury
- ranićto cause physical pain and/or injury
- zranićto cause physical pain and/or injury
- krzywdzićto cause physical pain and/or injury
- skrzywdzićto cause physical pain and/or injury
- uszkodzićto cause physical pain and/or injury
- ranićto cause emotional pain — see also shame
- zranićto cause emotional pain — see also shame
- krzywdzićto cause emotional pain — see also shame
- skrzywdzićto cause emotional pain — see also shame
- dręczyćto cause emotional pain — see also shame
- gnębićto cause emotional pain — see also shame
- rannywounded, injured
- zranionywounded, injured
- poszkodowanywounded, injured
- bolącypained
- zbolałypained
- bólAn emotional or psychological pain or bad experience
- ranaAn emotional or psychological pain or bad experience
- krzywdaAn emotional or psychological pain or bad experience
Portuguese ferir, machucar
- ferirto cause physical pain and/or injury
- machucarto cause physical pain and/or injury
- aleijarto cause physical pain and/or injury
- magoarto cause emotional pain — see also shame
- doerto be painful, to ache
- machucadowounded, injured
- feridowounded, injured
Romanian răni, vătăma
- rănito cause physical pain and/or injury
- vătămato cause physical pain and/or injury
- dureato be painful, to ache
Russian причиня́ть боль, причини́ть боль
- причиня́ть боль (pričinjátʹ bolʹ)to cause physical pain and/or injury
- причини́ть боль (pričinítʹ bolʹ)to cause physical pain and/or injury
- ра́нить (ránitʹ)to cause physical pain and/or injury
- пора́нить (poránitʹ)to cause physical pain and/or injury
- причиня́ть боль (pričinjátʹ bolʹ)to cause emotional pain — see also shame
- причини́ть боль (pričinítʹ bolʹ)to cause emotional pain — see also shame
- ра́нить (ránitʹ)to cause emotional pain — see also shame
- пора́нить (poránitʹ)to cause emotional pain — see also shame
- обижа́ть (obižátʹ)to cause emotional pain — see also shame
- оби́деть (obídetʹ)to cause emotional pain — see also shame
- боле́ть (bolétʹ)to be painful, to ache
- ра́неный (ránenyj)wounded, injured
- пострада́вший (postradávšij)wounded, injured
- повреждённый (povreždjónnyj)wounded, injured
- оби́женный (obížennyj)pained
Scottish Gaelic ciùrr, ciùrr
- ciùrrto cause physical pain and/or injury
- ciùrrto be painful, to ache
- ciùrrtewounded, injured
Slovak bolieť
- bolieťto be painful, to ache
Spanish lastimar, hacer
- lastimarto cause physical pain and/or injury
- hacerto cause physical pain and/or injury
- causar dañoto cause physical pain and/or injury
- ferirto cause physical pain and/or injury
- adolecerto cause physical pain and/or injury
- herirto cause physical pain and/or injury
- damnificarto cause physical pain and/or injury
- adolorarto cause emotional pain — see also shame
- dolerto be painful, to ache
- heridowounded, injured
- lesowounded, injured
- dolidopained
Swahili -jeruhi
- -jeruhito cause physical pain and/or injury
Swedish göra illa, skada
- göra illato cause physical pain and/or injury
- skadato cause physical pain and/or injury
- sårato cause emotional pain — see also shame
- göra ontto be painful, to ache
- skadadwounded, injured
- såradwounded, injured
Tagalog saktan, saktan
- saktanto cause physical pain and/or injury
- saktanto cause emotional pain — see also shame
- masakitto be painful, to ache
Tamil அடிப்பட்ட
- அடிப்பட்ட (aṭippaṭṭa)wounded, injured
Thai เจ็บ, เจ็บ
- เจ็บ (jèp)to cause physical pain and/or injury
- เจ็บ (jèp)to be painful, to ache
- ปวด (bpùuat)to be painful, to ache
Turkish acıtmak, ağrıtmak
- acıtmakto cause physical pain and/or injury
- ağrıtmakto cause physical pain and/or injury
- ağrımakto be painful, to ache
- acımakto be painful, to ache
Ukrainian ра́нити, пора́нити
- ра́нити (rányty)to cause physical pain and/or injury
- пора́нити (porányty)to cause physical pain and/or injury
- зра́нити (zrányty)to cause physical pain and/or injury
- болі́ти (bolíty)to be painful, to ache
- хворі́ти (xvoríty)to be painful, to ache
- захворі́ти (zaxvoríty)to be painful, to ache
- пора́нений (poránenyj)wounded, injured
- постраждалий (postraždalyj)wounded, injured
Urdu درد کرنا, زخمی
- درد کرنا (dard karnā)to be painful, to ache
- زخمی (zaxmī)wounded, injured
- اہت (āhat)wounded, injured
Vietnamese nhức, đau
- nhứcto be painful, to ache
- đauto be painful, to ache
- đaupained
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with hurt
Anagrams
Cite this entry
hurt. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hurt
“hurt.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hurt. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hurt,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hurt.
Source: hurt on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.