1
a
: an injury to the body (as from violence, accident, or surgery) that typically involves laceration or breaking of a membrane (such as the skin) and usually damage to underlying tissues
b
: a cut or breach in a plant usually due to an external agent
2
: a mental or emotional hurt or blow
3
: something resembling a wound in appearance or effect
especially
: a rift in or blow to a political body or social group
wounded; wounding; wounds
: to cause a wound to or in
: to inflict a wound
Synonyms
Examples of wound in a Sentence
Noun
She suffered a knife wound to her thigh.
Her mother's scorn left a wound that never healed.
Verb
Four people were seriously wounded in the explosion.
The soldier's leg was wounded by a grenade.
Losing the match wounded his pride.
Recent Examples on the Web
Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2024
Responding officers found Huesca suffering from gunshot wounds near his home, NBC Chicago reported, citing police.
—Nicole Acosta, Peoplemag, 23 Apr. 2024
Cincinnati Police Officers responded to a report of a vehicle crash and a shooting in the 3300 block of Montana Avenue at about 7:50 p.m.
The officers found a man suffering from a gunshot wound.
—The Enquirer, 22 Apr. 2024
Green was found dead from stab wounds on the evening on June 6, 2022 at 24th Street and Esmond Avenue in Richmond.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2024
Ada County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Tobin Bolter died of a gunshot wound to the neck, according to the Ada County Coroner’s Office.
—Rachel Spacek, Idaho Statesman, 22 Apr. 2024
The tools of a jungle hospital surrounded her: saws for amputations, yards of gauze for bullet wounds and a generator to power lights for surgery.
—Hannah Beech Adam Ferguson, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024
Still, as the pandemic wound down, many shoppers returned to their former habits, and the appeal of self-checkout lost some of its allure.
—Kate Gibson, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2024
One entry wound was actually a re-entry wound from the round that hit her arm.
—James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Apr. 2024
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 12 Apr. 2024
Court documents say gunshots were fired at six others who were not wounded.
—Kevin Grasha, The Enquirer, 11 Apr. 2024
One person was killed and five people — including two boys — were wounded in a shooting early Wednesday evening in Northeast Washington, police said.
—Clarence Williams, Washington Post, 11 Apr. 2024
Lopez said investigators still don’t know whether anyone other than the security guard was wounded by the time police arrived, which would have been more concerning to the officers on the scene, but it can’t be ruled out.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2024
At least seven children between the ages of 12 and 17 were wounded in the shooting near a mall in the downtown area, CNN reported at the time.
—Zenebou Sylla and Sabrina Souza, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
Hutchins was killed and director Joel Souza was wounded on Oct. 21, 2021, when a gun being wielded as a prop by Baldwin discharged a live round.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 9 Apr. 2024
Deputies arrived and found Scott wounded in the vehicle.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 8 Apr. 2024
Eighteen members of the battalion were killed and many more were wounded.
—Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
Noun
Two 16-year-old students at Cleveland High School in Reseda were taken to a hospital with stab wounds Tuesday afternoon, Los Angeles police said.
—Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2024
Responding officers found Huesca suffering from gunshot wounds near his home, NBC Chicago reported, citing police.
—Nicole Acosta, Peoplemag, 23 Apr. 2024
Cincinnati Police Officers responded to a report of a vehicle crash and a shooting in the 3300 block of Montana Avenue at about 7:50 p.m.
The officers found a man suffering from a gunshot wound.
—The Enquirer, 22 Apr. 2024
Green was found dead from stab wounds on the evening on June 6, 2022 at 24th Street and Esmond Avenue in Richmond.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2024
Ada County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Tobin Bolter died of a gunshot wound to the neck, according to the Ada County Coroner’s Office.
—Rachel Spacek, Idaho Statesman, 22 Apr. 2024
The tools of a jungle hospital surrounded her: saws for amputations, yards of gauze for bullet wounds and a generator to power lights for surgery.
—Hannah Beech Adam Ferguson, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024
Still, as the pandemic wound down, many shoppers returned to their former habits, and the appeal of self-checkout lost some of its allure.
—Kate Gibson, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2024
One entry wound was actually a re-entry wound from the round that hit her arm.
—James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Apr. 2024
Verb
After stabbing Leutner 19 times, Geyser and Weier left Leutner wounded in the woods, where a cyclist eventually found her.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 12 Apr. 2024
Court documents say gunshots were fired at six others who were not wounded.
—Kevin Grasha, The Enquirer, 11 Apr. 2024
One person was killed and five people — including two boys — were wounded in a shooting early Wednesday evening in Northeast Washington, police said.
—Clarence Williams, Washington Post, 11 Apr. 2024
Lopez said investigators still don’t know whether anyone other than the security guard was wounded by the time police arrived, which would have been more concerning to the officers on the scene, but it can’t be ruled out.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2024
At least seven children between the ages of 12 and 17 were wounded in the shooting near a mall in the downtown area, CNN reported at the time.
—Zenebou Sylla and Sabrina Souza, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
Hutchins was killed and director Joel Souza was wounded on Oct. 21, 2021, when a gun being wielded as a prop by Baldwin discharged a live round.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 9 Apr. 2024
Deputies arrived and found Scott wounded in the vehicle.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 8 Apr. 2024
Eighteen members of the battalion were killed and many more were wounded.
—Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wound.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near wound
Cite this Entry
“Wound.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wound. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wound
1 of 3 noun1
: an injury involving cutting or breaking of bodily tissue (as by violence, accident, or surgery)
2
: an injury to a person's feelings
wound
2 of 3 verb1
: to hurt by cutting or breaking bodily tissue
the broken glass wounded several people
2
: to hurt the feelings or pride of
his remark wounded her
Medical Definition
wound
1 of 2 noun1
a
: a physical injury to the body consisting of a laceration or breaking of the skin or mucous membrane often with damage to underlying tissue
has a deep festering knife wound across the palm
a gunshot wound
b
: an opening made in the skin or a membrane of the body incidental to a surgical operation or procedure
infection of a surgical wound
2
: a mental or emotional hurt or blow
emotional wounds of childhood
wound
2 of 2 transitive verb
: to cause a wound to or in
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