concussion

noun

con·​cus·​sion kən-ˈkə-shən 

1

a

: a stunning, damaging, or shattering effect from a hard blow

especially : a jarring injury of the brain resulting in disturbance of cerebral function

The football player suffered a concussion.

b

: a hard blow or collision

2

: agitation, shaking

The concussion from the explosion was felt 12 miles away.

concussive

kən-ˈkə-siv 

adjective

Synonyms

• bump
• collision
• crash
• impact
• impingement
• jar
• jolt
• jounce
• kick
• shock
• slam
• smash
• strike
• wallop

Choose the Right Synonym for concussion

impact, collision, shock, concussion mean a forceful, even violent contact between two or more things.

impact may be used to imply contact between two things, at least one of which is impelled toward the other.

the glass shattered on impact with the floor

collision implies the coming together of two or more things with such force that both or all are damaged or their progress is severely impeded.

the collision damaged the vehicle

shock often denotes the effect produced by a collision and carries the suggestion of something that strikes or hits with force.

the shock of falling rocks

concussion when not in technical use, often suggests the shattering, disrupting, or weakening effects of a collision, explosion, or blow.

bystanders felt the concussion of the blast

Examples of concussion in a Sentence

She suffered a severe concussion after falling on the ice.

He went to hospital with concussion.

Recent Examples on the Web

Other injuries sustained in the crash include a cervical and two thoracic spine vertebral body fractures for Team Emirates rider Jay Vine and a concussion and fractured sternum for EF Pro Cycling’s Sean Quinn. —Matias Grez, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024

The man is dealing with the symptoms of a concussion, like brain fog and sensitivity to light and sound, the attorney said. —James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Apr. 2024

Those sports led to many injuries: concussions, hamstring strains, rotator cuff issues. —Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2024

World Rugby is the first sports governing body to use smart mouthguards for in-game assessments of concussions. —Bronwen Latimer, Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2024

Larkin, a combat medic and instructor who taught SEALs how to breach buildings with explosives, is far from alone, with data showing 492,000 traumatic brain injuries, mostly mild concussions, in the military from 2000 to 2023. —Josh Feldman, NBC News, 18 Mar. 2024

While trying to duck under the very first beam in the very first challenge at the marooning, Bruce banged and bloodied his head, suffering a concussion. —Dalton Ross, EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024

Story continues below advertisement The goal for World Rugby was to find a point at which a head acceleration event has a higher likelihood of being a concussion. —Jeffrey Tomik, Washington Post, 2 Apr. 2024

One of the people in the other vehicle suffered a back injury, numbness, and a concussion and was taken to a hospital emergency room, the consumer added. —William Gavin, Quartz, 29 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English concussioun, from Latin concussion-, concussio, from concutere to shake violently, from com- + quatere to shake

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing concussion

• concussion grenade

Kids Definition

concussion

noun

con·​cus·​sion kən-ˈkəsh-ən 

1

: a violent uneven motion

2

: a hard blow or collision

3

: bodily injury especially of the brain resulting from a sudden sharp jar (as from a blow)

concussive

-ˈkəs-iv 

adjective

Medical Definition

concussion

noun

con·​cus·​sion kən-ˈkəsh-ən 

1

: a hard blow or collision

2

: a condition resulting from the stunning, damaging, or shattering effects of a hard blow

especially : a jarring injury of the brain resulting in disturbance of cerebral function and sometimes marked by permanent damage

concussive

-ˈkəs-iv 

adjective