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

Samantha Shero, a spokeswoman for the FBI’s Washington Field Office, said the victim was an agent in an agency vehicle who was not injured. —Peter Hermann, Washington Post, 30 Nov. 2023

Beyond solitary confinement, meals were denied, heads were shaved, bodies were injured. —Joanna Biggs, The Atlantic, 30 Nov. 2023

The woman that was injured was transported to the hospital and is in stable condition. —Natalie Kainz, NBC News, 29 Nov. 2023

Public outcry over the devices grew after a family dog was killed in 2017 in Pocatello, Idaho, and Canyon Mansfield, then 14, was injured after accidentally triggering a device placed on public land about 400 feet (122 meters) from their home. —Scott Sonner, Fortune, 29 Nov. 2023

Three people were killed and another was injured in an explosion at an Ohio auto body shop on Tuesday. —Abigail Adams, Peoplemag, 29 Nov. 2023

And far too many Americans know a family member injured or killed as a result of gun violence. —Alexandra E. Petri, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2023

The prosecution stems from 2019 when stunt performer Joe Watts was severely injured during a stunt that went wrong and was thrown 25 feet onto a concrete floor. —Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 27 Nov. 2023

A lot of my friends were killed and injured also the sheikh in our mosque was killed. —Sami Zayara, ABC News, 17 Nov. 2023

See More

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