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Prepositions after adjectives

hurtful with different prepositions

Hurtful to is the standard pattern when describing emotional harm. Other prepositions may appear in separate meanings or contexts.

Quick answer

Main pattern with hurtful

Use hurtful to someone when something causes emotional pain. Hurtful about may describe a topic that causes pain. Hurtful by and hurtful in are not standard fixed patterns.

His remark was hurtful to her.
The article was hurtful to many readers.
There was something hurtful about the joke.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
hurtful to + person

Causing emotional pain

Hurtful to identifies the person affected.

The criticism was hurtful to the students.
Her silence felt hurtful to him.
2
hurtful about + thing

Describing a painful aspect

Hurtful about points to the feature that causes emotional pain.

There was something hurtful about his tone.
What was most hurtful about the decision was the secrecy.
3
hurtful for + person

Describing effects on someone

Hurtful for is possible when for introduces the affected person in a broader statement.

The rumours were hurtful for the family.
It can be hurtful for children to hear constant criticism.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
hurtful to
That comment was hurtful to me.
causing emotional pain to someone
hurtful for
The situation was hurtful for the whole team.
describing a negative effect on someone
hurtful about
There was nothing hurtful about the question.
describing an aspect that causes offence or pain
hurtful in
Hurtful in is not a standard adjective-preposition pattern.
in usually introduces context or manner
hurtful by
Hurtful by is not idiomatic in current English.
by is not normally used directly after hurtful

Common mistakes

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

Using hurtful by

Use hurtful to for the affected person.

✕ The message was hurtful by her. ✓ The message was hurtful to her.

Confusing hurtful to and hurt by

Hurtful describes the thing causing pain; hurt by describes the affected person.

✕ She was hurtful to the remark. ✓ She was hurt by the remark.

Using hurtful in as a fixed pattern

Hurtful does not normally take in directly.

✕ The speech was hurtful in me. ✓ The speech was hurtful to me.

Overusing hurtful for

Hurtful to is usually more direct and common for people.

✕ His words were hurtful for me. ✓ His words were hurtful to me.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The joke was hurtful ___ several people.
2. There was something hurtful ___ his reply.
3. The experience was hurtful ___ the children.

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Frequently asked questions

Is hurtful to correct?

Yes. It is the standard way to describe something that causes emotional pain.

Can I say hurtful about?

Yes. It refers to an aspect or feature that causes offence or pain.

Why is hurtful by uncommon?

English normally uses hurtful to for the affected person, not hurtful by.

halfway-through-between-up-down, to "handmade by" or "handmade in"? "hands-on with" or "hands-on in"? "handy for" or "handy in"? "happy with", "happy about" or "happy for"? hard for, on, at, of or in? harmful to, for, in, by or of? "harmless from" or "harmless to"? harsh on, in, for, with or to? "hateful to", "hateful towards" or "hateful of"? "hazardous to" or "hazardous for"? "head-to-head with" or "head-to-head in"?

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