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

• collision
• shock
• crash

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

Kara-France was booked to face Manel Kape in September 2023, but a concussion during training camp prevented Kara-France from competing on that card, UFC 293. —Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025

As a result, today there are eight position helmet shapes to reduce the odds of head injuries, such as concussions. —Marc Saltzman, USA Today, 27 June 2025

More than 50% of those crashes involved riders under the age of 18, and children have been left with concussions, fractured bones and serious trauma injuries. —Lillian Ashworth, Oc Register, 25 June 2025

Erin Smith claims Walls-Kaufman struck her husband in the head with his own police baton, giving him a concussion and causing psychological and physical trauma that led to his suicide. —CBS News, 24 June 2025

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

Rhymes for concussion

• discussion
• percussion
• belorussian
• repercussion
• byelorussian
• kushan
• russian

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