injure

verb

in·​jure ˈin-jər 

injured; injuring ˈin-j(ə-)riŋ 

transitive verb

1

a

: to inflict bodily hurt on

b

: to impair the soundness of

injured her health

c

: to inflict material damage or loss on

2

a

: to harm, impair, or tarnish the standing of

injured his reputation

b

: to give pain to

injure a person's pride

c

: to do an injustice to : wrong

injurer

ˈin-jər-ər 

noun

Synonyms

• damage
• harm
• hurt
• wound

Choose the Right Synonym for injure

injure, harm, hurt, damage, impair, mar mean to affect injuriously.

injure implies the inflicting of anything detrimental to one's looks, comfort, health, or success.

badly injured in an accident

harm often stresses the inflicting of pain, suffering, or loss.

careful not to harm the animals

hurt implies inflicting a wound to the body or to the feelings.

hurt by their callous remarks

damage suggests injury that lowers value or impairs usefulness.

a table damaged in shipping

impair suggests a making less complete or efficient by deterioration or diminution.

years of smoking had impaired his health

mar applies to injury that spoils perfection (as of a surface) or causes disfigurement.

the text is marred by many typos

Examples of injure in a Sentence

She fell and injured herself.

She fell and slightly injured her arm.

Several people were badly injured in the accident.

Recent Examples on the Web

In 2009, Ensley and another officer opened fire on an armed man while on patrol in the Ramona Gardens housing development, injuring the suspect. —Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024

At least 13 homes were damaged and some residents were injured, Fayette County, West Virginia, Office of Emergency Management director Kevin Walker told CNN. —Dalia Faheid, CNN, 3 Apr. 2024

Four students died and six other students and a teacher were injured. —Tresa Baldas, Detroit Free Press, 3 Apr. 2024

At least four people have died and dozen others injured after a powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Taiwan Wednesday bringing damage and destruction to the island nation. —Emily Deletter, USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024

Two people out on a walk on the Cardinal Greenway, a path adjacent to the airport, were injured as was the pilot, who was the only person on the plane, officials said. —Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 2 Apr. 2024

Sources told the Herald that many of the officers injured were involved in work related to Russia or were stationed in places where Russian spies could work with ease, like Cuba, China, Vietnam and most of Europe. —Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2024

The miners were evacuated above ground and no one was injured, DTEK said, adding that coal production would resume once the mines had been repaired. —Andrew Carey, CNN, 22 Mar. 2024

In an early scene of the Broadway musical, which opened Thursday at the Imperial Theatre, the star stallion of a traveling circus is gravely injured. —Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English enjuren, from Anglo-French *enjurer, from Late Latin injuriare, from Latin injuria injury

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2c

Kids Definition

injure

verb

in·​jure ˈin-jər 

injured; injuring ˈinj-(ə-)riŋ 

1

: to do an injustice to : wrong

2

: to cause pain or harm to

injured her arm

injured his pride

3

: to cause to suffer damage or loss

a tax that injured business

houses injured by the storm

Medical Definition

injure

transitive verb

in·​jure ˈin-jər 

injured; injuring ˈinj-(ə-)riŋ 

1

: to inflict bodily hurt on

2

: to impair the soundness of

injure your health

Legal Definition

injure

1 of 2 transitive verb

in·​jure

injured; injuring

1

: to interfere with or violate the legally protected interests of: as

a

: to harm the physical, emotional, or mental well-being of

b

: to cause (another) to suffer from damage to, deprivation of, or interference with property or a property interest

c

: to violate the constitutionally or otherwise legally protected rights of

2

: to mar or impair the soundness or appearance of (as a building) : deface

in jure

2 of 2 adverb

in ju·​re

in-ˈju̇r-ē, -ˈyü-rā

: in right, law, or justice

Etymology

Latin