different between oppressive vs hurtful

English

Etymology

oppress +? -ive

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -?s?v

IPA^(key): /??p??s.?v/

Adjective

oppressive (comparative more oppressive, superlative most oppressive)

1. Burdensome or difficult to bear.

   The oppressive tax laws made it difficult to start a small company.

2. Tyrannical or exercising unjust power.

   The oppressive land-owners kept a grip on the labourers.

3. Weighing heavily on the spirit; intense, or overwhelming

   Will the oppressive heat of summer never end?

4. Hot and humid of the weather.

Synonyms

• (weather): humid, close

Translations

French

Adjective

oppressive

1. feminine singular of oppressif

Italian

Adjective

oppressive

1. feminine plural of oppressivo

English

Alternative forms

• hurtfull (archaic)

Etymology

hurt +? -ful

Adjective

hurtful (comparative more hurtful, superlative most hurtful)

1. Tending to impair or damage; injurious; occasioning loss or injury.
   • 1649: John Milton, Eikonoklastes

     A good principle not rightly understood may prove as hurtful as a bad.

   • 1890: George Henry Rohé, Text-book of hygiene

     Well-cultivated soils are often healthy; nor at present has it been proved that the use of manure is hurtful.

2. Tending to hurt someone's feelings; insulting.

Synonyms

• (tending to impair or damage): pernicious, harmful, baneful, prejudicial, detrimental, disadvantageous, mischievous, injurious, noxious, unwholesome, destructive; see also Thesaurus:harmful

Related terms

• hurt
• hurtfully
• hurtfulness

Translations

References

• hurtful in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• hurtful in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• hurtful at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• ruthful