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
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
Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Police officer Marc Pinizotto, who was 43 and had been on the force for 18 years, died of his wounds in a hospital, Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw said at a news conference.
—ABC News, 11 June 2026
Fatma Khaled, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Witnesses to the downtown Sacramento mass shooting that left six dead and more than a dozen wounded as nightclubs closed on K Street sensed trouble in the moments before the shots were fired.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for wound
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Noun
Infestations start when a female fly lays eggs on open wounds—wounds as small as a tick bite can attract a female fly to lay her eggs—or other parts of the body in live animals.
—Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Police officer Marc Pinizotto, who was 43 and had been on the force for 18 years, died of his wounds in a hospital, Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw said at a news conference.
—ABC News, 11 June 2026
Verb
Last week, a drone strike on a bustling market in central Sudan killed 28 people and wounded dozens more.
—Fatma Khaled, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
Witnesses to the downtown Sacramento mass shooting that left six dead and more than a dozen wounded as nightclubs closed on K Street sensed trouble in the moments before the shots were fired.
—Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for wound
Cite this Entry
“Wound.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wound. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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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