1
as in scratches
a bodily injury in which small blood vessels are broken but the overlying skin is not
she got quite a big bruise from walking into the corner of the table
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Recent Examples of bruises
Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 June 2026
When bruises are noticed on their daughter’s body at school, their five children are taken away from them and a legal saga ensues.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 24 June 2026
Onaje’s body was covered with numerous bruises to the chest, stomach, back and legs.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 23 June 2026
Lucy had cuts and bruises to her head, face, arms, legs and back, Fintan Garavan testified.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 19 June 2026
Police said the child had bruises all over his face and body.
—Katie Houlis, CBS News, 18 June 2026
The man suffered a fractured shoulder and bruises, according to a criminal complaint.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 15 June 2026
When shopping for fresh peaches, seek out fruit that smells fragrant and sweet, is free of bruises or blemishes, and is slightly firm with a little give.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 June 2026
The physical exam, the fourth one of his second term came amid public scrutiny around visible bruises, skin discoloration and swollen ankles.
—Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 12 June 2026
Noun
The beating left at least 30 bruises on Joanna’s torso and legs, and a belt pattern was present among the injuries, according to the assessment of a pathologist described in the affidavit.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 June 2026
When bruises are noticed on their daughter’s body at school, their five children are taken away from them and a legal saga ensues.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 24 June 2026
Onaje’s body was covered with numerous bruises to the chest, stomach, back and legs.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 23 June 2026
Lucy had cuts and bruises to her head, face, arms, legs and back, Fintan Garavan testified.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 19 June 2026
Police said the child had bruises all over his face and body.
—Katie Houlis, CBS News, 18 June 2026
The man suffered a fractured shoulder and bruises, according to a criminal complaint.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 15 June 2026
When shopping for fresh peaches, seek out fruit that smells fragrant and sweet, is free of bruises or blemishes, and is slightly firm with a little give.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 June 2026
The physical exam, the fourth one of his second term came amid public scrutiny around visible bruises, skin discoloration and swollen ankles.
—Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 12 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bruises
Noun
-
The two women allegedly pushed each other near a chain link fence in Martinez’s backyard, leading to both of them suffering scratches, the document said.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
17 June 2026
-
As if rapping from a speeding time machine, Wiki flows about yellow taxis turning into Uber Eats over an instrumental that cruises from a soft breakbeat into a total breakdown of glitchy scratches courtesy of Lil Ugly Mane.—
Lei Takanashi,
Pitchfork,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
Minor scrapes and blisters happen too often while traveling, and the ship's medical center is notoriously expensive for the little stuff that a bandage would fix.—
Robin Raven,
Travel + Leisure,
22 June 2026
-
The Dirty Beaches founder’s own saxophone and trumpet lead the players’ cut-and-pasted recordings down dark alleys of decay and introspection, backdropped by percussive bangs and scrapes that suggest the construction of some great, mysterious superstructure.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
Chops, gouges, wounds it like the shadow grooves on the sidewalks—the sun is setting earlier.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Imperfect fleshly reality occupies the stage, the region where bones crack and wounds suppurate, schlumpy humans fall for each other, and jealousy roams murderously free.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
For contusions, wear your shin guards.—
Nicole Bennett,
AJC.com,
22 May 2026
-
Lee was charged with murder after the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office concluded homicidal violence could not be ruled out in Bravo’s death, with autopsy findings showing multiple abrasions and contusions and MDMA in her system.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
The sharp microscopic pieces in DE cause abrasions in the soft bodies of chiggers and break down their protective exoskeleton.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
18 June 2026
-
The man also had abrasions to the left side of his body, police said.—
Tom Ignudo,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
The front lid appears to be barely hanging on by a thread, with cuts and gashes throughout.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Heupel spreads out his receivers in an attempt to spread out the defense, then gashes them with the run.—
Seth Emerson,
New York Times,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
And there's going to be some bumps in the road, for sure.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 June 2026
-
At this distal end, which forms your elbow joint with your radius and ulna, are two bony bumps, called epicondyles.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Verb
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This comes as the company reportedly slashes product prices and prepares for a potential IPO, amid accusations from Florida's AG regarding unsafe product releases.—
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
-
The process cuts down air pollution and slashes industrial water consumption.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bruises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bruises. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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