plural bruises
1
: a dark and painful area on your skin that is caused by an injury
He had a bad bruise on his leg after he fell.
2
: a dark area on a plant or piece of fruit that has been damaged
a bruise on an apple
bruises; bruised; bruising
1
a
: to cause a bruise on (part of a person's body, a piece of fruit, etc.)
She bruised her knee when she fell.
—often used as (be) bruisedHis arms and legs were badly bruised in the accident.
b
: to get a bruise
She bruises easily. [=she gets bruises from minor injuries that would not cause bruises in most people]
2
: to hurt (someone's confidence, feelings, etc.) through speech or actions
I don't want to bruise anyone's feelings.
—usually used as (be) bruisedHis ego was badly bruised when he lost the race.
There were bruised feelings after he was thrown out of the band.
Cite this Entry
“Bruise.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/bruise. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
Copy Citation
