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Prepositions after adjectives

hurt with different prepositions

Hurt by is the standard pattern for causes of emotional or physical pain. Hurt in is used for body areas or situations. Hurt to is usually not an adjective-preposition pattern.

Quick answer

Correct uses after hurt

Use hurt by for the person or thing causing pain. Use hurt in for a body part or area. Hurt to is uncommon as an adjective pattern, although to may follow the verb hurt in structures like It hurt to walk.

She felt hurt by his comment.
He was hurt in the accident.
It hurt to breathe deeply.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
hurt by + cause

Showing what caused pain

Hurt by identifies the person, action, or event causing emotional or physical pain.

They were deeply hurt by the criticism.
He felt hurt by her silence.
2
hurt in + body part or event

Specifying where the injury happened

Hurt in often refers to an area of the body or a situation.

She was hurt in the shoulder.
Several workers were hurt in the explosion.
3
hurt to + verb

Using hurt as a verb expression

In expressions like it hurt to move, to belongs to the infinitive verb, not directly to the adjective.

It hurt to laugh.
His back hurt to bend over.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
hurt by
I was hurt by his words.
emotionally affected because of someone or something
hurt in
She was hurt in the crash.
injured during an event or in a body area
hurt to
It hurt to stand up.
verb pattern with infinitive, not adjective plus preposition
hurt with
He was hurt with a knife.
with introduces the instrument, not a fixed adjective pattern

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using hurt to as an adjective pattern

To usually belongs to an infinitive verb after hurt.

✕ She was hurt to his remark. ✓ She was hurt by his remark.

Confusing hurt by and hurt in

By shows the cause; in shows the location or event.

✕ He was hurt by the leg. ✓ He was hurt in the leg.

Using by for body parts

Body areas usually take in.

✕ She was hurt by the arm. ✓ She was hurt in the arm.

Omitting the cause after hurt by

Include the source of the pain when needed.

✕ They were hurt by. ✓ They were hurt by the decision.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. She felt hurt ___ the accusation.
2. Two passengers were hurt ___ the accident.
3. It hurt ___ walk after the race.

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Frequently asked questions

Is hurt by correct?

Yes. It is the standard way to show what caused emotional or physical pain.

Can I say hurt in the leg?

Yes. Hurt in is natural for body parts and injuries in events.

Why is hurt to different?

In expressions like it hurt to move, to introduces the following verb, not a preposition after the adjective.

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