maim

1 of 2

verb

maimed; maiming; maims

transitive verb

1
: to mutilate, disfigure or wound seriously
2
: to commit the felony of mayhem upon
maimer noun

maim

2 of 2

noun

1
obsolete : serious physical injury
especially : loss of a member of the body
2
obsolete : a serious loss
Choose the Right Synonym for maim

maim, mutilate, mangle mean to injure so severely as to cause lasting damage.

maim implies the loss or injury of a body part.

maimed by a shark

mutilate implies the cutting off or removal of an essential part of a person or thing thereby impairing its completeness, beauty, or function.

a tree mutilated by inept pruning

mangle implies a tearing or crushing that leaves deep wounds.

a soldier's leg mangled by shrapnel

Examples of maim in a Sentence

Verb The bomb killed 16 people and maimed several others. on-the-job accidents maim far too many workers every year
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
That same day Israel launched an attack on a crowded refugee camp killing, burning and maiming many civilians, including children. WSJ, 5 Nov. 2023 The victim miraculously survived the brutal maiming but will likely lose an eye, police said. Bradford Betz, Fox News, 3 Aug. 2023 Many hundreds of civilians—including women, children, the aged—have been killed, maimed, or captured in a matter of days. Michael Oren, The Atlantic, 9 Oct. 2023 Witnessing the results of war as a child, Abboud pledged to make a difference with his life and to figure out how to help ease the pain and suffering of the innocent who were physically maimed and emotionally harmed. Michael Kurima, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Sep. 2023 People maimed in the bombing are being treated for horrific injuries without basics such as gauze dressings, antiseptic, IV bags and painkillers. Yara M. Asi, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2023 The star anchor, who boasted the network’s highest ratings, was told by a News Corp. board member that the move was a condition of the Dominion settlement as a way to best maim the conservative network. Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 21 Sep. 2023 In months that followed, bombs rained down on the northeastern metropolis almost daily, wrecking hundreds of buildings, killing and maiming civilians and scattering much of the prewar population of 1.4 million people. Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2023 Over the past two decades, Israel has tried to assassinate Mohammed Deif several times, maiming him in attacks and killing his wife and baby son. Rory Jones, WSJ, 11 Oct. 2023
Noun
Nothing here will surprise, let alone maim, anyone. Vulture, 24 July 2023 The Duttons murder and maim and torture. Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 16 Nov. 2022 Imad Eddin Wadi, 64, was indicted in June on a charge of conspiracy to kill, kidnap, maim or injure people and damage property in another country, which carries a sentence of up to life in prison. Guillermo Contreras, San Antonio Express-News, 9 Dec. 2021 Hightower planned to contact inmates in other prisons in the state to carry out a plan to either kill, maim or severely injure Tiarks, according to court documents. Tracy Neal, Arkansas Online, 2 Aug. 2021 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'maim.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English maymen, mahaymen, from Anglo-French maheimer, mahaigner — more at mayhem

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of maim was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near maim

Cite this Entry

“Maim.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maim. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

maim

verb
ˈmām
: to injure or disfigure badly

Medical Definition

maim

transitive verb
1
: to wound seriously : mutilate
2
: to commit the felony of mayhem upon

Legal Definition

maim

transitive verb
: to mutilate, disfigure, or wound seriously compare mayhem

More from Merriam-Webster on maim

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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