hurting

USAGE SUMMARY

'hurting' is a correct and usable word in written English.
It is used as a verb when referring to physical pain, such as when one has an injury or is ill. An example sentence is: His leg was hurting after playing football for two hours.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Lifestyle

Business

Opinion

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"We are all hurting, that's for sure.

The Guardian - Sport

With prices rising and unemployment soaring, families, pensioners and businesses already know it's hurting.

The Guardian

After he was arrested, he said he had been in sole care of the baby but denied hurting her.

The Guardian

The supply shortage may be a consequence of Argentina burning its bridges with foreign creditors, which has led to tighter supplies of foreign currency, hurting imports.

The Guardian - Money

In other words, those companies making this decision to scale back domestic partner benefits are doing so to cut costs – and it's hurting a wider group of people than the LGBT community.

The Guardian - Money

Sometimes when you're really hurting, those are times when you need to consciously take that effort and mindfully think: 'I need to be concentrating on this next step'.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

They all say a British EU exit ("Brexit" in diplomatic speak) would make all of them poorer by scaring off investment and hurting trade.

The Guardian

"Yes, it's hurting but I do congratulate Gretna on their victory today and I genuinely wish them well in the Bell's Third Division".

The Guardian - Sport

If you're taking no risks, and you're standing up against something that was never really hurting you, you're not engaging in activism.

The Guardian - Opinion

Surveys of economic sanctions always equate "hurting" with "working".

The Guardian - Opinion

He added that an SNP landslide would help build a larger anti-Tory alliance in the Commons, allowing that bloc to "lock David Cameron out of Downing Street – and put an end to the ideological commitment to austerity which is hurting communities across Scotland and elsewhere in the UK".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "hurting" to convey immediate pain or distress; for ongoing issues, consider stronger verbs like "crippling" or "devastating".

Common error

Avoid relying solely on "hurting" in formal writing. Opt for more precise and impactful alternatives like "undermining", "damaging", or "jeopardizing" to convey specific negative effects.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "hurting" is as a present participle or gerund. It acts as a verb in continuous tenses (e.g., "I am hurting") and as a noun when used as a gerund (e.g., "Hurting others is wrong"). This is supported by the examples Ludwig provides.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Sport

15%

Lifestyle

10%

Less common in

Business

10%

Opinion

10%

Science

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the term "hurting" functions primarily as a verb, specifically in its present participle form, and occasionally as a gerund. Its chief aim is to convey feelings of pain, distress, or adverse effects, as validated by Ludwig. While adaptable across various registers, it leans towards a neutral tone and is significantly prominent in contexts such as News & Media, Sport and Lifestyle. For precise expression in formal contexts, consider options like "undermining" or "jeopardizing". Avoid overuse in favor of stronger action verbs. This analysis, paired with diverse examples from Ludwig, equips you with nuanced insights into effectively incorporating "hurting" in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in pain

Focuses specifically on physical discomfort or suffering.

suffering

Emphasizes the experience of enduring hardship or distress.

aching

Highlights a persistent or throbbing sensation of discomfort.

feeling pain

A more explicit way to state the experience of physical or emotional discomfort.

in distress

Highlights emotional or mental anguish.

injured

Implies physical harm or damage.

being harmed

Focuses on the action of inflicting damage or injury.

adversely affected

Indicates a negative impact or consequence.

negatively impacted

Similar to "adversely affected" but with a slightly more formal tone.

taking a toll

Implies a gradual negative effect over time.

FAQs

How can I use "hurting" in a sentence?

You can use "hurting" to describe physical pain, emotional distress, or negative impacts on something. For example, "My head is hurting", "The breakup is hurting her deeply", or "The new policy is hurting small businesses".

What are some synonyms for "hurting" to describe physical pain?

Alternatives for physical pain include "aching", "throbbing", "sore", or "painful".

Which is correct, "feeling hurt" or "feeling hurting"?

"Feeling hurt" is correct. "Hurt" acts as an adjective in this context. "Hurting" is the present participle form of the verb and would be used in continuous tenses, such as "I am hurting".

What's the difference between "hurting" and "harming"?

"Hurting" often implies a more immediate or personal experience of pain or distress, while "harming" suggests a more general or intentional act of causing damage or injury. For example, "The news is hurting her" (emotional distress), versus "The factory is harming the environment" (causing damage).