slightly hurt

USAGE SUMMARY

"slightly hurt" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe a minor injury or emotional pain. Example: "After the fall, I felt slightly hurt but was able to walk it off." Alternative expressions include "a bit injured" and "mildly wounded."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Officer Malka was slightly hurt.

The New York Times

Nachman's feelings were slightly hurt.

The New Yorker

One crew member was slightly hurt.

The New York Times

He was slightly hurt in a scuffle on Feb. 11.

The New York Times

Five coalition troops were slightly hurt, NATO said.

The New York Times

The other trooper was only slightly hurt, authorities said.

The New York Times

One firefighter was slightly hurt, Battalion Chief Jack Taddeo said.

The New York Times

'It's only happened once.' But he also looked slightly hurt.

The Guardian - Sport

He was only slightly hurt that day in 1944.

The New York Times

I'm slightly hurt that you thought I would do such a thing!

Independent

Army radio said a border policeman was hit by a rock and slightly hurt.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing an incident, use "slightly hurt" to downplay the severity of an injury or emotional impact, ensuring you provide context to avoid misinterpretation.

Common error

Avoid using "slightly hurt" when the injury or emotional impact is significant. Overusing it can undermine your credibility and desensitize your audience.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "slightly hurt" functions primarily as a descriptive adjective phrase. It modifies a noun (person, object, etc.) to indicate that they have experienced a minor degree of physical or emotional harm. Ludwig AI confirms the examples and usage provided.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "slightly hurt" is a common and grammatically correct adjective phrase used to describe a minor degree of physical or emotional harm. Ludwig AI confirms its frequent usage, particularly in news and media contexts. While primarily neutral in register, the intended communicative purpose is to downplay the severity of the harm. Alternatives such as "mildly injured" or "a little bothered" can be used for physical and emotional contexts respectively, adding nuance to the description. Understanding the contexts and potential interpretations ensures effective communication and avoids misrepresentation of the situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

mildly injured

Indicates a less severe physical injury than "slightly hurt".

somewhat injured

Similar to "slightly hurt", suggesting a limited degree of physical harm.

a little injured

More informal way to express a small amount of physical injury.

minor injury

Focuses on the injury being not serious, interchangeable in many contexts.

lightly wounded

Suggests the injury is a cut or piercing, rather than a blunt trauma.

a bit bruised

Implies a physical mark or discoloration due to impact.

somewhat upset

Describes emotional distress rather than physical injury.

a little bothered

Suggests a mild emotional disturbance or annoyance.

slightly saddened

Refers to a mild feeling of sadness or disappointment.

a tad disappointed

Focuses on a small degree of disappointment.

FAQs

How to use "slightly hurt" in a sentence?

You can use "slightly hurt" to describe minor physical injuries, as in "The officer was "slightly hurt" in the blast", or to describe mild emotional distress, as in "He looked "slightly hurt" by the comment".

What can I say instead of "slightly hurt"?

You can use alternatives like "mildly injured", "a little injured", or "somewhat upset" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "slightly hurt" or "slightly injured"?

Both "slightly hurt" and "slightly injured" are correct and often interchangeable, although "slightly injured" is more commonly used when referring to physical harm. "Slightly hurt" can refer to both physical and emotional distress.

What's the difference between "slightly hurt" and "seriously injured"?

"Slightly hurt" implies a minor injury or emotional distress, while "seriously injured" indicates a severe injury requiring significant medical attention. The distinction lies in the degree of impact and potential long-term consequences.