Idioms are fun phrases that mean something different from the literal words you say. People use them every day to make talking and writing much more colorful and exciting. In this lesson, you will learn a wonderful collection of idioms related to hurting someone’s feelings and causing emotional pain.
In this lesson, we’ll look at idioms for hurting someone that mean upsetting others, causing distress, and saying unkind words. Let’s get started and explore some of these helpful expressions.
Idioms for Hurting Someone
1. Add insult to injury
Meaning: This idiom means making a bad, hurtful situation even worse by treating someone poorly.
For Example: Dropping my ice cream was bad enough, but then a pigeon stole the cherry to add insult to injury. / Losing the game was hard, and having it rain on the walk home added insult to injury.
Other Ways to Say: Make things worse / Worsen a bad situation
2. Hurt someone’s feelings
Meaning: This idiom means saying or doing something unkind that makes a person feel emotionally sad or upset.
For Example: Be careful with your words so you do not accidentally hurt someone’s feelings. / Leaving him out of the game really hurt his feelings.
Other Ways to Say: Upset someone / Cause emotional pain
3. Break someone’s heart
Meaning: This idiom means causing someone deep emotional pain, sorrow, or disappointment.
For Example: Moving away from my best friend felt like it would break my heart. / Losing our family pet broke our hearts for weeks.
Other Ways to Say: Cause deep sorrow / Crush emotionally
4. Sting like a bee
Meaning: This idiom describes a sharp, quick pain or a clever punch in a sports contest.
For Example: The papercut on my thumb started to sting like a bee when I touched sanitizer. / The boxer moved fast and tried to sting like a bee in the ring.
Other Ways to Say: Sharp pain / Sting sharply
5. Sore subject
Meaning: This idiom describes a topic that makes someone feel touchy, sensitive, or hurt when discussed.
For Example: Asking about the game they lost yesterday is a sore subject for the team. / Mentioning his missed goal proved to be a sore subject.
Other Ways to Say: Sensitive topic / Touchy subject
6. Strike a raw nerve
Meaning: This idiom means touching upon a sensitive, painful emotional memory.
For Example: Bringing up the spelling bee mistake seemed to strike a raw nerve with her. / Asking about his lost toy struck a raw nerve.
Other Ways to Say: Upset someone / Touch a sensitive spot
7. Hit where it hurts
Meaning: This idiom means criticizing or affecting someone in their most vulnerable or sensitive spot.
For Example: Losing the championship game hit right where it hurts for the team. / His unkind comment about her drawing hit where it hurts.
Other Ways to Say: Hurt deeply / Attack vulnerability
8. Rub salt in the wound
Meaning: This idiom means making someone’s emotional or physical pain even worse on purpose.
For Example: Teasing him about missing the goal just rubbed salt in the wound. / Reminding me of my bad test grade rubbed salt in the wound.
Other Ways to Say: Worsen pain / Aggravate distress
9. Cut to the quick
Meaning: This idiom means hurting someone’s feelings very deeply and severely with harsh words.
For Example: Her mean remark about his artwork cut him to the quick. / Hearing those unfair accusations cut me to the quick.
Other Ways to Say: Hurt deeply / Severely wound emotionally
10. Kick someone when they are down
Meaning: This idiom means treating someone poorly or criticizing them when they are already suffering or hurt.
For Example: He was already sad about losing, so do not kick him when he is down. / Laughing at a classmate’s mistake is like kicking someone when they are down.
Other Ways to Say: Make things worse for the suffering / Exploit weakness
11. Slap in the face
Meaning: This idiom describes a sudden, shocking insult or hurtful betrayal.
For Example: Being left off the invitation list felt like a direct slap in the face. / Refusing to thank her helpers felt like a slap in the face.
Other Ways to Say: Insult / Betrayal
12. Stab in the back
Meaning: This idiom describes a severe betrayal by someone you trusted, causing deep hurt.
For Example: Spreading rumors about your friend is like a cruel stab in the back. / Trusting him only to find out he lied felt like a stab in the back.
Other Ways to Say: Betrayal / Treachery
13. Cut deep
Meaning: This idiom means a hurtful comment or action causes severe emotional pain.
For Example: Her harsh words about his painting cut deep into his confidence. / The rejection letter cut deep, but he kept trying.
Other Ways to Say: Hurt severely / Pain deeply
14. Add fuel to the fire
Meaning: This idiom means making a hurtful or angry argument even worse.
For Example: Shouting back during an argument just adds fuel to the fire. / Complaining about the chores adds fuel to the fire.
Other Ways to Say: Make worse / Worsen conflict
15. Poke a hornet’s nest
Meaning: This idiom means intentionally causing trouble or provoking a painful reaction.
For Example: Bringing up the old argument is like poking a hornet’s nest. / Teasing the dog while it eats is poking a hornet’s nest.
Other Ways to Say: Provoke trouble / Stir up anger
16. Open old wounds
Meaning: This idiom means reminding someone of past emotional hurts and sorrows.
For Example: Talking about the previous year’s loss just opened old wounds for the team. / Bringing up the old argument reopened old wounds.
Other Ways to Say: Remind of past pain / Revive sorrow
17. Twist the knife
Meaning: This idiom means intentionally making an existing emotional hurt much worse.
For Example: Reminding her that she missed the winning shot was just twisting the knife. / Teasing him about his mistake was like twisting the knife.
Other Ways to Say: Worsen pain / Increase torment
18. Hit below the belt
Meaning: This idiom means making an unfair, cruel, or deeply hurtful attack during a disagreement.
For Example: Bringing up his family during an argument was really hitting below the belt. / Playing fair is important, so never hit below the belt.
Other Ways to Say: Play unfairly / Make cruel attacks
19. Tread on toes
Meaning: This idiom means offending, upsetting, or hurting someone by stepping into their territory.
For Example: Be careful not to tread on toes when planning the classroom seating chart. / He accidentally trod on toes by organizing the club without asking.
Other Ways to Say: Offend / Upset someone
20. Step on someone’s toes
Meaning: This idiom means annoying, offending, or causing distress to someone else.
For Example: Make sure you do not step on anyone’s toes while organizing the group project. / She accidentally stepped on her teammate’s toes during planning.
Other Ways to Say: Offend / Annoy
21. Pull the rug out from under
Meaning: This idiom means suddenly taking away support and causing someone to fail or feel hurt.
For Example: Canceling the trip at the last minute pulled the rug out from under our plans. / Changing the rules suddenly pulled the rug out from under the team.
Other Ways to Say: Remove support / Disappoint suddenly
22. Pull the rug out
Meaning: This idiom means surprising someone with a sudden disappointment that hurts their progress.
For Example: Telling us the game was canceled pulled the rug out from our excitement. / Quitting the project pulled the rug out from the group.
Other Ways to Say: Disappoint / Remove support
23. Rain on someone’s parade
Meaning: This idiom means ruining someone’s happy moment or causing disappointment.
For Example: I did not mean to rain on your parade by saying it might snow. / Do not rain on her parade just because she won the contest.
Other Ways to Say: Ruin fun / Cause disappointment
24. Burst someone’s bubble
Meaning: This idiom means ending someone’s happy illusion or unrealistic hope with a harsh truth.
For Example: I hated to burst his bubble, but the park was already closed. / Telling her the toy was sold out burst her bubble.
Other Ways to Say: Disappoint / Shatter illusion
25. Bring someone down
Meaning: This idiom means making someone feel sad, depressed, or emotionally hurt.
For Example: Constant complaining can really bring someone down during group work. / Try not to let negative comments bring you down.
Other Ways to Say: Upset / Discourage
26. Cast a shadow over
Meaning: This idiom means making a happy event feel gloomy or hurtful with bad news.
For Example: Missing player news cast a shadow over our championship excitement. / The argument cast a shadow over the party.
Other Ways to Say: Gloom / Spoil happiness
27. Put a damper on
Meaning: This idiom means reducing the fun or excitement of a situation, causing mild hurt.
For Example: The sudden rain put a damper on our outdoor field day. / Hearing about the pop quiz put a damper on morning recess.
Other Ways to Say: Ruin mood / Discourage
28. Throw cold water on
Meaning: This idiom means discouraging someone’s exciting idea with harsh criticism.
For Example: When I suggested our game idea, he immediately threw cold water on it. / Do not throw cold water on her creative art plans.
Other Ways to Say: Discourage / Criticize harshly
29. Shoot down an idea
Meaning: This idiom means rejecting someone’s suggestion quickly and harshly.
For Example: The teacher gently explained why we could not shoot down ideas without listening. / He felt hurt when the group shot down his project plan.
Other Ways to Say: Reject / Dismiss harshly
30. Cut someone down to size
Meaning: This idiom means humbling someone who is acting overly proud, often by hurting their ego.
For Example: Winning the game helped cut him down to size after his bragging. / Constructive feedback can cut someone down to size gently.
Other Ways to Say: Humble someone / Lower pride
31. Put someone in their place
Meaning: This idiom means giving a harsh reminder to someone who is acting too proud or rude.
For Example: Her honest reply put him in his place after he bragged. / The teacher put the rude student in his place.
Other Ways to Say: Humble / Correct rudeness
32. Take someone down a peg
Meaning: This idiom means lowering someone’s pride when they act too arrogant.
For Example: Winning the spelling bee took him down a peg after all his bragging. / Getting corrected took her down a peg.
Other Ways to Say: Humble / Lower ego
33. Give someone a piece of your mind
Meaning: This idiom means speaking angrily and bluntly to someone who upset you.
For Example: She was so angry about the unfair trick that she gave him a piece of her mind. / Dad gave the loud neighbor a piece of his mind.
Other Ways to Say: Scold / Speak angrily
34. Read someone the riot act
Meaning: This idiom means giving someone a stern, angry scolding for bad behavior.
For Example: The coach read the team the riot act after they played unfairly. / Mom read us the riot act for leaving chores undone.
Other Ways to Say: Scold sternly / Lecture angrily
35. Jump down someone’s throat
Meaning: This idiom means reacting with sudden, angry words to something someone said.
For Example: Do not jump down my throat just because I asked a simple question. / He jumped down her mind when she made a minor mistake.
Other Ways to Say: Scold angrily / React harshly
36. Bite someone’s head off
Meaning: This idiom means responding with extreme anger and harsh words to a simple question.
For Example: I only asked for a pencil, and she bit my head off. / Try not to bite people’s heads off when you are stressed.
Other Ways to Say: Snap at someone / React angrily
37. Snap at someone
Meaning: This idiom means speaking in a sharp, impatient, and hurtful tone of voice.
For Example: Tiredness made him snap at his brother during breakfast. / Apologize if you snap at your classmates.
Other Ways to Say: Speak sharply / Be impatient
38. Tear a strip off
Meaning: This idiom means scolding or chewing someone out harshly for making a mistake.
For Example: The manager threatened to tear a strip off anyone breaking safety rules. / Dad tore a strip off us for tracking mud inside.
Other Ways to Say: Scold harshly / Rebuke
39. Chew someone out
Meaning: This idiom means giving someone a long, angry scolding for doing something wrong.
For Example: The coach chewed the players out for missing practice. / Expecting to get chewed out made him nervous to confess.
Other Ways to Say: Scold angrily / Lecture severely
40. Give someone a hard time
Meaning: This idiom means teasing, criticizing, or making things difficult for someone.
For Example: Older siblings love to give younger kids a hard time about hobbies. / Do not give him a hard time for trying his best.
Other Ways to Say: Tease / Make things difficult
41. Drive someone up the wall
Meaning: This idiom means annoying or frustrating someone so much that they feel hurt or crazy.
For Example: The repetitive tapping noise drove me up the wall during study hall. / Listening to that song on repeat drives everyone up the wall.
Other Ways to Say: Annoy greatly / Frustrate
42. Get on someone’s nerves
Meaning: This idiom means irritating someone repeatedly until their feelings are hurt or stressed.
For Example: Whispering during the test started to get on my nerves. / Constant teasing can really get on someone’s nerves.
Other Ways to Say: Annoy / Irritate
43. Rub someone the wrong way
Meaning: This idiom means annoying or offending someone with your personality or remarks.
For Example: His boastful way of talking tended to rub people the wrong way. / Try not to rub your classmates the wrong way.
Other Ways to Say: Annoy / Offend
44. Push someone’s buttons
Meaning: This idiom means deliberately annoying or provoking someone to upset them.
For Example: Stop trying to push your brother’s buttons during car rides. / He knows exactly how to push her buttons when arguing.
Other Ways to Say: Provoke / Annoy deliberately
45. Needle someone
Meaning: This idiom means teasing or annoying someone persistently to hurt their mood.
For Example: He loved to needle his sister about her messy room. / Stop needling your classmates and focus on work.
Other Ways to Say: Tease persistently / Annoy
46. Bait someone
Meaning: This idiom means deliberately provoking someone into an angry or hurtful reaction.
For Example: The bullies tried to bait him into a fight on the playground. / Do not let classmates bait you into arguing.
Other Ways to Say: Provoke / Taunt
47. Taunt
Meaning: This idiom or action word means insulting or teasing someone to hurt their feelings.
For Example: Rules state that students must never taunt others during sports games. / Hearing classmates taunt him made him feel sad.
Other Ways to Say: Mock / Tease cruelly
48. Mock
Meaning: This idiom means copying or laughing at someone unkindly to hurt them.
For Example: It is unkind to mock someone who makes a mistake reading aloud. / The bullies tried to mock his new shoes.
Other Ways to Say: Tease / Make fun of
49. Jeer
Meaning: This idiom means shouting rude, hurtful remarks at someone in a crowd.
For Example: Fans must never jeer at players during basketball games. / Hearing the crowd jeer hurt the losing team’s feelings.
Other Ways to Say: Mock loudly / Taunt
50. Ridicule
Meaning: This idiom means making fun of someone in a cruel way to cause humiliation.
For Example: No one should ever face ridicule for asking questions in class. / The mean poem subjected him to public ridicule.
Other Ways to Say: Mock / Make fun of
51. Scorn
Meaning: This idiom means showing contempt, disrespect, or hurtful disapproval toward someone.
For Example: She looked at his messy drawing with unspoken scorn. / Treat others with kindness instead of showing scorn.
Other Ways to Say: Despise / Look down on
52. Sneer
Meaning: This idiom means smiling or speaking in a mocking, hurtful, and contemptuous way.
For Example: He gave a cruel sneer when his classmate missed the basketball shot. / Do not sneer at people who try their best.
Other Ways to Say: Mock smile / Show contempt
53. Belittle
Meaning: This idiom means making someone feel small, unimportant, and hurt through words.
For Example: Good teachers encourage students rather than belittle their efforts. / Never belittle your friends when they struggle.
Other Ways to Say: Put down / Make small
54. Put down
Meaning: This idiom means saying a harsh, insulting remark that hurts someone’s self-esteem.
For Example: Making a mean put down about his drawing is unacceptable. / He apologized for his thoughtless put down.
Other Ways to Say: Insult / Criticize harshly
55. Cut down
Meaning: This idiom means criticizing someone harshly to hurt their confidence.
For Example: Harsh words can cut down a person’s self-esteem quickly. / Try to lift people up instead of cutting them down.
Other Ways to Say: Criticize / Hurt confidence
56. Tear down
Meaning: This idiom means destroying someone’s confidence or emotional well-being with insults.
For Example: It takes seconds to tear down a friend with mean words, but years to rebuild trust. / Bullying is designed to tear people down.
Other Ways to Say: Destroy confidence / Insult
57. Run down
Meaning: This idiom means criticizing someone constantly behind their back or to their face.
For Example: Do not run down your classmates when they make mistakes. / Hearing her run down his artwork hurt his feelings.
Other Ways to Say: Criticize / Speak ill of
58. Trash talk
Meaning: This idiom means saying insulting, hurtful remarks to opponents in sports games.
For Example: Sportsmanship rules ban trash talk during school tournaments. / He used trash talk to try and hurt the other team’s confidence.
Other Ways to Say: Insult opponents / Rude remarks
59. Speak ill of
Meaning: This idiom means saying bad, hurtful things about someone who is not present.
For Example: Never speak ill of your friends when they are not in the room. / Grandma taught us that it is better not to speak ill of anyone.
Other Ways to Say: Gossip negatively / Criticize
60. Cause grief
Meaning: This idiom means creating trouble, emotional pain, or distress for someone.
For Example: Disobeying house rules will only cause grief for your parents. / He liked to cause grief on the playground by starting arguments.
Other Ways to Say: Cause trouble / Upset someone
Exercise to Practice
- Dropping my ice cream was bad enough, but then a pigeon stole the cherry to ________.
- Be careful with your words so you do not accidentally ________.
- Moving away from my best friend felt like it would ________.
- The papercut on my thumb started to ________ when I touched sanitizer.
- Asking about the game they lost yesterday is a ________ for the team.
- Bringing up the spelling bee mistake seemed to ________ with her.
- Losing the championship game hit ________ for the team.
- Teasing him about missing the goal just ________.
- Her mean remark about his artwork ________.
- He was already sad about losing, so do not ________.
- Being left off the invitation list felt like a direct ________.
- Spreading rumors about your friend is like a cruel ________.
- Her harsh words about his painting ________ into his confidence.
- Shouting back during an argument just ________.
- Bringing up the old argument is like ________.
Answer Key
- add insult to injury
- hurt someone’s feelings
- break someone’s heart
- sting like a bee
- sore subject
- strike a raw nerve
- right where it hurts
- rubbed salt in the wound
- cut him to the quick
- kick him when he is down
- slap in the face
- stab in the back
- cut deep
- adds fuel to the fire
- poking a hornet’s nest
Conclusion
Learning these idioms about hurting someone helps make expressing emotional pain and unkindness much more understandable. When you use these expressions, you can share stories about empathy and kindness in a clear way. Try using some of these phrases when reading stories or discussing character behavior at school. You will sound like a language expert while making your everyday conversations wonderfully thoughtful!
