Sometimes we feel pain that isn’t just from falling down or getting a bruise. People can also feel hurt in their hearts. It can happen when someone says something unkind or when a friend moves away. These feelings are real, and many people use special sayings to talk about them. These sayings are called idioms.
Idioms are phrases that don’t mean exactly what the words say. They help us talk about feelings in a more colorful way. For example, if someone says, “He broke my heart,” it doesn’t mean their heart really broke it means they feel very sad. In this article, we’ll learn idioms that people use when they feel hurt. You’ll find out what each one means and how to use it in real life. This can help you understand others better and share how you feel, too.
Idioms for Hurt
1. Break someone’s heart
Meaning: Make someone feel very sad
Within a Sentence: It broke my heart when my dog ran away. / She broke his heart by saying goodbye.
In Other Words: Made me super sad. / Hurt someone’s feelings badly.
2. Cut to the bone
Meaning: Hurt deeply
Within a Sentence: His words cut me to the bone. / That joke cut her to the bone.
In Other Words: Hurt my feelings a lot. / Was very painful to hear.
3. Hit where it hurts
Meaning: Say or do something that really upsets someone
Within a Sentence: He hit me where it hurts when he made fun of my art. / She hit where it hurts talking about my dad.
In Other Words: Said something that made me feel worse. / Made me sad on purpose.
4. Rip someone apart
Meaning: Make someone feel terrible inside
Within a Sentence: Watching the movie ripped me apart. / It ripped her apart to see her friend cry.
In Other Words: Made me feel really sad. / Broke her heart.
5. A slap in the face
Meaning: Something hurtful or insulting
Within a Sentence: Not getting picked was a slap in the face. / Her mean words were a slap in the face.
In Other Words: It felt really rude. / It hurt my feelings.
6. Pour salt in the wound
Meaning: Make a bad feeling worse
Within a Sentence: Laughing at my mistake poured salt in the wound. / He poured salt in the wound by teasing me.
In Other Words: Made it even worse. / Added to the pain.
7. A low blow
Meaning: A hurtful or unfair thing to say
Within a Sentence: Saying I had no friends was a low blow. / That was a low blow about her parents.
In Other Words: Not nice to say. / Hurt someone’s feelings badly.
8. Stab in the back
Meaning: Betray someone or hurt them secretly
Within a Sentence: It felt like a stab in the back when my friend told my secret. / She stabbed me in the back by lying.
In Other Words: Betrayed me. / Was not a true friend.
9. Tear someone apart
Meaning: To make someone feel very sad
Within a Sentence: It tore me apart to see my mom cry. / The news tore him apart.
In Other Words: Made me super sad. / Hurt him deeply.
10. Break down
Meaning: To cry or feel very upset
Within a Sentence: She broke down after the phone call. / I broke down when I lost my puppy.
In Other Words: Couldn’t stop crying. / Was very hurt.
11. Heavy heart
Meaning: Feeling very sad
Within a Sentence: I walked home with a heavy heart. / She left the party with a heavy heart.
In Other Words: Feeling really down. / Very upset.
12. Knock the wind out of someone
Meaning: To shock or upset someone badly
Within a Sentence: Failing the test knocked the wind out of me. / His words knocked the wind out of her.
In Other Words: Left me speechless. / Made her feel terrible.
13. Bring someone to tears
Meaning: Make someone cry
Within a Sentence: That movie brought me to tears. / Her story brought him to tears.
In Other Words: Made me cry. / Very touching and sad.
14. A punch to the gut
Meaning: A painful surprise
Within a Sentence: Getting left out felt like a punch to the gut. / The bad news was a punch to the gut.
In Other Words: It really hurt. / Felt bad and sudden.
15. Dagger to the heart
Meaning: Very painful to hear or feel
Within a Sentence: Her goodbye was a dagger to the heart. / His comment was like a dagger to my heart.
In Other Words: Hurt my heart. / Very painful emotionally.
16. Heart sinks
Meaning: To feel sad all of a sudden
Within a Sentence: My heart sank when I saw my broken toy. / Her heart sank when she heard the news.
In Other Words: Felt really sad quickly. / Lost hope.
17. Cry your eyes out
Meaning: Cry a lot
Within a Sentence: I cried my eyes out when my fish died. / She cried her eyes out after the movie.
In Other Words: Cried very hard. / Was very sad.
18. All choked up
Meaning: Too emotional to speak
Within a Sentence: I got all choked up during the speech. / He was choked up saying goodbye.
In Other Words: Couldn’t talk because of feelings. / About to cry.
19. Take it hard
Meaning: Feel very hurt by something
Within a Sentence: I took it hard when I lost the contest. / She took it hard after the argument.
In Other Words: Felt very upset. / Took it badly.
20. A hole in the heart
Meaning: Feeling empty or sad
Within a Sentence: When my cat went missing, it left a hole in my heart. / The goodbye left a hole in her heart.
In Other Words: Felt like something important was gone. / Felt really sad.
21. Heartbroken
Meaning: Very sad because of love or loss
Within a Sentence: She was heartbroken after her friend moved away. / He was heartbroken when his dog passed away.
In Other Words: Felt deep sadness. / Very upset.
22. Cry over spilled milk
Meaning: Feel sad about something that can’t be changed
Within a Sentence: I cried over spilled milk when my project was ruined. / Don’t cry over spilled milk it’s already done.
In Other Words: It’s too late. / Don’t stay sad about it.
23. Feel blue
Meaning: Feel sad or down
Within a Sentence: I felt blue after my team lost. / She feels blue when it rains all day.
In Other Words: Feeling sad. / Not in a happy mood.
24. Hit hard
Meaning: Affect someone strongly and sadly
Within a Sentence: The news hit me hard. / It hit her hard when her friend moved.
In Other Words: Felt strong pain. / Was tough to hear.
25. Close to tears
Meaning: About to cry
Within a Sentence: I was close to tears during the sad part. / He looked close to tears after the talk.
In Other Words: Almost crying. / Very emotional.
26. Hurt feelings
Meaning: Feeling sad because of what someone said or did
Within a Sentence: My feelings were hurt when she ignored me. / He had hurt feelings after the joke.
In Other Words: Felt upset. / Sad from what happened.
27. Take it to heart
Meaning: Let something affect you deeply
Within a Sentence: I took his words to heart. / She took the joke to heart.
In Other Words: Felt hurt by it. / Thought about it seriously.
28. In pain
Meaning: Feeling physical or emotional hurt
Within a Sentence: He was in pain after the fall. / I was in pain from the mean comment.
In Other Words: Hurt badly. / Feeling sore or sad.
29. Cry a river
Meaning: Cry a lot
Within a Sentence: I cried a river when my bird flew away. / She cried a river after the goodbye.
In Other Words: Cried very hard. / Lots of tears.
30. Take a blow
Meaning: Be hurt by something difficult
Within a Sentence: Failing the test was a blow to my confidence. / His words were a blow to my heart.
In Other Words: Felt bad. / Hurt my feelings.
31. Break into tears
Meaning: Start crying suddenly
Within a Sentence: I broke into tears during the sad part. / She broke into tears after the goodbye.
In Other Words: Began to cry. / Couldn’t hold it in.
32. Wounded pride
Meaning: Feeling hurt because of embarrassment
Within a Sentence: His wounded pride showed when he lost. / My pride was wounded after being laughed at.
In Other Words: Felt hurt and ashamed. / Embarrassed.
33. A lump in the throat
Meaning: Feeling so emotional you can’t talk
Within a Sentence: I got a lump in my throat while talking. / She had a lump in her throat during the song.
In Other Words: Felt like crying. / Too sad to speak.
34. Break down in tears
Meaning: Cry heavily
Within a Sentence: He broke down in tears after the news. / She broke down in tears when her pet left.
In Other Words: Started crying a lot. / Couldn’t stop crying.
35. Bruised feelings
Meaning: Hurt emotions
Within a Sentence: My feelings were bruised when I was left out. / She had bruised feelings from the fight.
In Other Words: Felt sad. / Got emotionally hurt.
36. Hurt to the core
Meaning: Very deeply hurt
Within a Sentence: I was hurt to the core by her words. / He felt hurt to the core after being blamed.
In Other Words: Very sad inside. / Deep emotional pain.
37. A broken spirit
Meaning: Feeling very down and hopeless
Within a Sentence: He had a broken spirit after the loss. / Her spirit broke when she failed.
In Other Words: Lost all hope. / Very upset.
38. Shed a tear
Meaning: Cry a little
Within a Sentence: I shed a tear during the movie. / He shed a tear at the end of the book.
In Other Words: Cried softly. / Just a few tears.
39. It hurts
Meaning: Something feels painful emotionally
Within a Sentence: It hurts to see my friend leave. / It hurts when people are mean.
In Other Words: Makes me feel sad. / It’s hard to take.
40. Crushed
Meaning: Feel very sad or disappointed
Within a Sentence: I felt crushed after hearing the bad news. / She was crushed by the results.
In Other Words: Very disappointed. / Sad and upset.
41. Tearful goodbye
Meaning: A very emotional farewell
Within a Sentence: We had a tearful goodbye at the airport. / It was a tearful goodbye after camp.
In Other Words: Said goodbye while crying. / A sad farewell.
42. Rain on my parade
Meaning: Ruin a happy moment
Within a Sentence: His comment rained on my parade. / Don’t rain on my parade when I’m happy.
In Other Words: Took away my joy. / Made me feel bad.
43. Be down
Meaning: Feel low or sad
Within a Sentence: I’ve been down since the test. / She was down after missing the trip.
In Other Words: Not happy. / Feeling sad.
44. Cry oneself to sleep
Meaning: Cry before falling asleep
Within a Sentence: I cried myself to sleep missing my friend. / She cried herself to sleep that night.
In Other Words: Went to bed sad. / Cried while sleeping.
45. Drown in sorrow
Meaning: Be filled with sadness
Within a Sentence: He drowned in sorrow after the breakup. / She looked like she was drowning in sorrow.
In Other Words: Couldn’t stop being sad. / Felt lost in sadness.
46. Break a bond
Meaning: Hurt a close relationship
Within a Sentence: The fight broke our bond. / Lying broke the bond we had.
In Other Words: Damaged friendship. / Hurt our connection.
47. Leave a scar
Meaning: Hurt someone in a lasting way
Within a Sentence: Her words left a scar on me. / That moment left a scar in his heart.
In Other Words: Hurt that stayed. / Pain that didn’t go away.
48. Be shattered
Meaning: Feel broken or ruined
Within a Sentence: I felt shattered when I lost my pet. / She was shattered by the news.
In Other Words: Totally heartbroken. / Emotionally broken.
49. Feel abandoned
Meaning: Feel left out or alone
Within a Sentence: I felt abandoned when they didn’t include me. / She felt abandoned after the move.
In Other Words: Left out. / Very lonely.
50. Carry a heavy heart
Meaning: Feel sad for a long time
Within a Sentence: I carried a heavy heart after my grandma passed. / He carried a heavy heart after the goodbye.
In Other Words: Stayed sad. / Couldn’t stop feeling bad.
51. Tear at one’s heart
Meaning: Something that makes you feel strong sadness
Within a Sentence: The story tore at my heart. / Seeing her cry tore at his heart.
In Other Words: Made me feel really sad. / Hurt my feelings a lot.
52. Soft spot
Meaning: A tender or emotional feeling for someone or something
Within a Sentence: I have a soft spot for my old teddy bear. / He has a soft spot for sad songs.
In Other Words: Feel emotional about something. / Easily moved by it.
53. Hurt like crazy
Meaning: Hurt a lot
Within a Sentence: My heart hurt like crazy after the fight. / It hurt like crazy to say goodbye.
In Other Words: Hurt a lot. / Was very painful.
54. In shambles
Meaning: Feeling broken or falling apart
Within a Sentence: I was in shambles after the bad day. / Her feelings were in shambles after the talk.
In Other Words: Felt messed up. / Emotionally wrecked.
55. Hard to swallow
Meaning: Hard to accept or deal with
Within a Sentence: The bad grade was hard to swallow. / Losing the contest was hard to swallow.
In Other Words: Difficult to accept. / Hurt to hear.
56. A sore spot
Meaning: A topic that causes pain or sadness
Within a Sentence: Talking about the past is a sore spot. / Her grades are a sore spot for her.
In Other Words: It’s a touchy subject. / Makes someone feel sad.
57. Drown in tears
Meaning: Cry a lot
Within a Sentence: I drowned in tears after saying goodbye. / He drowned in tears at the sad part.
In Other Words: Cried too much. / Was very sad.
58. Feel left out
Meaning: Feel hurt because you were excluded
Within a Sentence: I felt left out at lunch. / She felt left out when they picked teams.
In Other Words: Not included. / Felt lonely.
59. Break into sobs
Meaning: Start crying hard
Within a Sentence: She broke into sobs during the speech. / I broke into sobs in bed.
In Other Words: Cried a lot suddenly. / Couldn’t stop crying.
60. Weigh on someone’s heart
Meaning: Something that keeps making you feel sad
Within a Sentence: Her goodbye weighed on my heart for days. / It still weighs on his heart.
In Other Words: Still feels sad about it. / It won’t go away.
True/False Quiz: Idioms for Hurt
- If something “breaks your heart,” it means it makes you very happy.
True / False - Saying “He stabbed me in the back” means he helped you a lot.
True / False - If your “heart sinks,” it means you feel really sad all of a sudden.
True / False - “Cry a river” means you only cried a little.
True / False - “A punch to the gut” means you got a nice surprise.
True / False - If you are “close to tears,” you are about to cry.
True / False - Saying something “left a scar” means it was hurtful and you remember it.
True / False - “Drown in tears” means you are crying a lot.
True / False - If you “shed a tear,” it means you are laughing hard.
True / False - “Tear at your heart” means something made you very sad.
True / False - Saying you feel “abandoned” means you feel included and loved.
True / False - “A sore spot” is something that makes someone feel happy and relaxed.
True / False - When someone “cries over spilled milk,” they’re upset about something that already happened.
True / False - “Break into sobs” means to start laughing loudly.
True / False - “Carry a heavy heart” means you feel very sad for a while.
True / False
Answer Key
- False
- False
- True
- False
- False
- True
- True
- True
- False
- True
- False
- False
- True
- False
- True
Scoring Guide
- 15 Correct Answers: Idioms for Hurt Master!
- 10–14 Correct Answers: You really get Idioms for Hurt, nice work!
- 6–9 Correct Answers: You’re learning, keep going!
- 0–5 Correct Answers: Let’s learn about Idioms for Hurt together!
Conclusion
People feel hurt for many reasons. It might be because of words, actions, or losing someone. Instead of just saying “I’m sad,” people often use idioms to explain how they feel. These phrases make it easier to talk about strong emotions.
Now you’ve learned 60 idioms that help describe hurt feelings. You can use them when writing stories, talking to friends, or just understanding others better. Idioms help show deep feelings in a way that’s clear and meaningful. Keep using them and pay attention when others do it will help you grow as a writer and listener.
