injure

Synonym Chooser

How is the word injure distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of injure are damage, harm, hurt, impair, and mar. While all these words mean "to affect injuriously," injure implies the inflicting of anything detrimental to one's looks, comfort, health, or success.

badly injured in an accident

When might damage be a better fit than injure?

The words damage and injure are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, damage suggests injury that lowers value or impairs usefulness.

a table damaged in shipping

When is it sensible to use harm instead of injure?

Although the words harm and injure have much in common, harm often stresses the inflicting of pain, suffering, or loss.

careful not to harm the animals

When can hurt be used instead of injure?

In some situations, the words hurt and injure are roughly equivalent. However, hurt implies inflicting a wound to the body or to the feelings.

hurt by their callous remarks

When would impair be a good substitute for injure?

The words impair and injure can be used in similar contexts, but impair suggests a making less complete or efficient by deterioration or diminution.

years of smoking had impaired his health

When could mar be used to replace injure?

The meanings of mar and injure largely overlap; however, mar applies to injury that spoils perfection (as of a surface) or causes disfigurement.

the text is marred by many typos

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of injure Multiple police units responded to Fort Worth Central Station on Thursday morning after a stabbing that injured two people on a bus. Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Oct. 2025 Three others in the Jeep also were injured in the crash. Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 2 Oct. 2025 Malik Nabers and Tyreek Hill both tore their ACLs, Trey Benson injured his knee and Lamar Jackson tweaked a hamstring, just to name a few. Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2025 Gafford injures ankle The Mavericks are likely to be without one of their major frontcourt pieces this preseason. Christian Clark, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for injure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for injure
Verb
  • At the same time, people familiar with the investigation told me that Khan has devoted much of his defense to convincing investigators that Israel and its allies are exploiting the accuser in order to damage him and the court.
    David D. Kirkpatrick, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
  • This common strain releases a toxin that can damage blood vessels in the intestines and kidneys, which can cause serious complications like kidney damage.
    Brandi Jones, Health, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • What little momentum the Broncos created was frequently marred by penalties, and a third-down sack had ruined a scoring chance in the first half.
    Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
  • The show was marred only by an audio mix that dimmed Coleman’s evocative voice amid a wash of instruments — at least from this reviewer’s spot in the Fox — but the Red Clay Strays’ impact shone through nevertheless.
    Brian McCollum, Freep.com, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • This ultimately hurts the American people, the people who pay their salaries.
    Nicole Russell, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025
  • But the sale also diminishes some hopes that Berkshire would buy Oxy in its entirety, potentially hurting the stock.
    Jordan Blum, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Its lackluster response allowed Israel to cripple the Axis of Resistance, batter Hezbollah in September and October 2024, position itself to aid in the fall of the Assad regime in December, then directly strike Iran in June, killing dozens of top leaders.
    Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 6 Oct. 2025
  • The incident highlights how cyberattacks can cripple businesses, resulting in production shortages.
    Senior Reporter, PC Magazine, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Of the eight people who were wounded and survived the mass shooting and fire Sunday at a Grand Blanc Township church, the first to get treatment at Henry Ford Genesys Hospital was a 6-year-old boy, said the doctor who cared for him.
    Kristen Jordan Shamus, Freep.com, 1 Oct. 2025
  • More than 200 people were wounded.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • For investors, even opposition threats of repeal weaken confidence by raising doubts about long-term policy stability.
    Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 3 Oct. 2025
  • While his core supporters remain loyal, sustained disapproval among the broader public could weaken his leverage in negotiations with Congress and erode confidence in his leadership.
    Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Skin around the bite may bruise or turn blueish, resulting in a bulls-eye look, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
    Evan Mealins, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Sep. 2025
  • Trump, too, faced bruising results in the poll, with most respondents labeling his actions as authoritarian and damaging to the U.S. economy.
    Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • According to multiple reports and my own observation, many other popular springs are impaired by pollution as well.
    Christopher F. Meindl, The Conversation, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Jackson was not impaired and speed was not factor, police said.
    Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Injure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/injure. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on injure

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!