scar

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈskär 

1

: an isolated or protruding rock

2

: a steep rocky eminence : a bare place on the side of a mountain

scar

2 of 3

noun (2)

1

: a mark remaining (as on the skin) after injured tissue has healed

2

: a mark left where something was previously attached : cicatrix sense 2

especially : a mark left on a stem or branch where a leaf or fruit has separated

3

: a mark or indentation (as on furniture) resulting from damage or wear

4

: a lasting moral or emotional injury

… one of his men had been killed … in a manner that had left a scar upon his mind.

—H. G. Wells

scarless

ˈskär-ləs 

adjective

scar

3 of 3

verb

scarred; scarring

transitive verb

1

: to mark with a scar

2

: to do lasting injury to

intransitive verb

1

: to form a scar

2

: to become scarred

Synonyms of scar

Noun (1)

• cliff
• escarpment
• palisade
• crag

Noun (2)

• defect
• blotch
• mark

Examples of scar in a Sentence

Noun (1)

at the next bend in the river, a scar of red sandstone steeply rises to over 100 feet

Noun (2)

the scars left by carelessly scratching the car door with one's keys

Verb

His arm was badly scarred after the accident.

The tragedy left her emotionally scarred.

Your shoes are scarring the floor.

The fence was scarred by rust.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In Uvalde — where the scars of the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting remain impossible to ignore — one person was killed and dozens of homes were destroyed, compounding years of the community’s collective grief. — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 20 July 2026

Caught in each other’s orbit, tenderly touching their matching neck scars, lovingly attuned to one another. — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

Verb

Patients of color, with skin more prone to scarring, should ask about treatments primed to minimize that side effect, in particular silicone sheeting and potentially steroid injections. — The Editors, Robb Report, 19 July 2026

To prevent a similar war from happening again, Menelaus scarred her face, permanently marring her famous beauty. — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 18 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English skere, from Old Norse sker skerry; probably akin to Old Norse skera to cut — more at shear

Noun (2)

Middle English escare, scar, from Middle French escare scab, from Late Latin eschara, from Greek, hearth, brazier, scab

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1555, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing scar

• leaf scar
• scar tissue

Rhymes for scar

• ar
• are
• bar
• barr
• car
• carr
• char
• charr
• czar
• far
• farre
• haar

Kids Definition

scar

1 of 2 noun

ˈskär 

1

: a mark left (as on the skin) after injured tissue has healed

2

: a mark on a stem or branch where a leaf or fruit has separated

3

: a mark (as on furniture) resembling a scar

4

: a lasting injury from a bad experience

scar

2 of 2 verb

scarred; scarring

1

: to mark with or form a scar

2

: to do lasting injury to

3

: to become scarred

Medical Definition

scar

1 of 2 noun

ˈskär 

1

: a mark left (as in the skin) by the healing of injured tissue

2

: a lasting emotional injury

psychological scars

scar

2 of 2 verb

scarred; scarring

transitive verb

: to mark with a scar

scarred heart valves

intransitive verb

1

: to form a scar

2

: to become scarred