hurt feelings
plural noun
: unhappiness or sadness caused by someone's words or actions
His behavior at the party caused a lot of hurt feelings.
Examples of hurt feelings in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Rather than setting yourself up for more hurt feelings, do your best to forgive your parents for their favoritism and live your life.
—
Harriette Cole, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2025
There are plenty of hurt feelings between the trio: Henry wrote a critical editorial about their dad, then left town after Hank only hired Lou out of the police academy.
—Vlada Gelman, TVLine, 19 Feb. 2025
In high-stress moments, people may not interpret words as intended, which can lead to frustration or hurt feelings.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Feb. 2025
Misunderstood sarcasm can cause a rift between you and your colleagues; your intention is probably not to hurt feelings or cause irritation, yet that is often the result.
—Anne Sugar, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hurt feelings
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Harriette Cole, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2025
There are plenty of hurt feelings between the trio: Henry wrote a critical editorial about their dad, then left town after Hank only hired Lou out of the police academy.
—Vlada Gelman, TVLine, 19 Feb. 2025
In high-stress moments, people may not interpret words as intended, which can lead to frustration or hurt feelings.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Feb. 2025
Misunderstood sarcasm can cause a rift between you and your colleagues; your intention is probably not to hurt feelings or cause irritation, yet that is often the result.
—Anne Sugar, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hurt feelings
Cite this Entry
“Hurt feelings.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hurt%20feelings. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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