concussion

noun

con·​cus·​sion kən-ˈkə-shən 

1

a

: a stunning, damaging, or shattering effect from a hard blow

especially : a jarring injury of the brain resulting in disturbance of cerebral function

The football player suffered a concussion.

b

: a hard blow or collision

2

: agitation, shaking

The concussion from the explosion was felt 12 miles away.

concussive

kən-ˈkə-siv 

adjective

Synonyms

• bump
• collision
• crash
• impact
• impingement
• jar
• jolt
• jounce
• kick
• shock
• slam
• smash
• strike
• wallop

Choose the Right Synonym for concussion

impact, collision, shock, concussion mean a forceful, even violent contact between two or more things.

impact may be used to imply contact between two things, at least one of which is impelled toward the other.

the glass shattered on impact with the floor

collision implies the coming together of two or more things with such force that both or all are damaged or their progress is severely impeded.

the collision damaged the vehicle

shock often denotes the effect produced by a collision and carries the suggestion of something that strikes or hits with force.

the shock of falling rocks

concussion when not in technical use, often suggests the shattering, disrupting, or weakening effects of a collision, explosion, or blow.

bystanders felt the concussion of the blast

Examples of concussion in a Sentence

She suffered a severe concussion after falling on the ice.

He went to hospital with concussion.

Recent Examples on the Web

Who to sit: Alexander Mattison (MIN) remains in the NFL’s concussion protocol. —Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Nov. 2023

Rui Hachimura, who missed the previous four games, returned from a concussion, scoring 24 points in 25 minutes off the bench. —Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 9 Nov. 2023

Tau is also a hallmark of concussions and traumatic brain injuries. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Nov. 2023

The commission, which has cited a study that suggests women are more susceptible to concussions than men, did not respond to a request for comment. —Remy Tumin, New York Times, 27 Oct. 2023

Proper functioning of this gene might mitigate concussion in woodpeckers, for example, and the same seems to be true of the kingfisher, along with adaptive evolution of beak shape and brain shape. —Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 24 Oct. 2023

She was selected to the McDonald’s All-American game as a senior, but was unable to play after suffering her third concussion before the age of 18. —Skyler Trepel, Peoplemag, 14 Oct. 2023

Hachimura is in concussion protocol and Vincent will miss at least the next two weeks with knee swelling. —Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2023

The San Francisco 49ers had a scare earlier this week when quarterback Brock Purdy surprisingly entered concussion protocol. —Ryan Morik, Fox News, 28 Oct. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Middle English concussioun, from Latin concussion-, concussio, from concutere to shake violently, from com- + quatere to shake

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing concussion

• concussion grenade

• concussion grenade

Kids Definition

concussion

noun

con·​cus·​sion kən-ˈkəsh-ən 

1

: a violent uneven motion

2

: a hard blow or collision

3

: bodily injury especially of the brain resulting from a sudden sharp jar (as from a blow)

concussive

-ˈkəs-iv 

adjective

Medical Definition

concussion

noun

con·​cus·​sion kən-ˈkəsh-ən 

1

: a hard blow or collision

2

: a condition resulting from the stunning, damaging, or shattering effects of a hard blow

especially : a jarring injury of the brain resulting in disturbance of cerebral function and sometimes marked by permanent damage

concussive

-ˈkəs-iv 

adjective