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
Synonyms
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
Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2024
Responding officers found Huesca suffering from gunshot wounds near his home, NBC Chicago reported, citing police.
—Nicole Acosta, Peoplemag, 23 Apr. 2024
Cincinnati Police Officers responded to a report of a vehicle crash and a shooting in the 3300 block of Montana Avenue at about 7:50 p.m.
The officers found a man suffering from a gunshot wound.
—The Enquirer, 22 Apr. 2024
Green was found dead from stab wounds on the evening on June 6, 2022 at 24th Street and Esmond Avenue in Richmond.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2024
Ada County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Tobin Bolter died of a gunshot wound to the neck, according to the Ada County Coroner’s Office.
—Rachel Spacek, Idaho Statesman, 22 Apr. 2024
The tools of a jungle hospital surrounded her: saws for amputations, yards of gauze for bullet wounds and a generator to power lights for surgery.
—Hannah Beech Adam Ferguson, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024
Still, as the pandemic wound down, many shoppers returned to their former habits, and the appeal of self-checkout lost some of its allure.
—Kate Gibson, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2024
One entry wound was actually a re-entry wound from the round that hit her arm.
—James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Apr. 2024
Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2024
At least 15 people were wounded, including nine with life-threatening injuries.
—Andrea Vacchiano, Fox News, 22 Apr. 2024
The fighting comes as more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed and 70,000 wounded after the Hamas attack on Oct. 7 killed about 1,200.
—Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 22 Apr. 2024
The 30-year-old was dead at the scene and the 40-year-old was wounded and is expected to survive, according to police.
—James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Apr. 2024
Russia has also managed to replace the more than 315,000 troops that have been killed or wounded in battle, according to American officials.
—Marc Santora, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2024
Columbine High School shooting Key date: April 20, 1999
What happened: Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold killed 13 people and wounded 24 in a mass shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado.
—James Powel, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
The 1979 shooting at Grover Cleveland Elementary School in San Diego left two dead and nine wounded; A 1989 shooting at another Cleveland Elementary School in Stockton, California, left 5 dead and 32 wounded.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 19 Apr. 2024
The 18-year-old man was found wounded and was pronounced deceased at the scene.
—Harry Harris, The Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2024
Noun
Two 16-year-old students at Cleveland High School in Reseda were taken to a hospital with stab wounds Tuesday afternoon, Los Angeles police said.
—Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2024
Responding officers found Huesca suffering from gunshot wounds near his home, NBC Chicago reported, citing police.
—Nicole Acosta, Peoplemag, 23 Apr. 2024
Cincinnati Police Officers responded to a report of a vehicle crash and a shooting in the 3300 block of Montana Avenue at about 7:50 p.m.
The officers found a man suffering from a gunshot wound.
—The Enquirer, 22 Apr. 2024
Green was found dead from stab wounds on the evening on June 6, 2022 at 24th Street and Esmond Avenue in Richmond.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2024
Ada County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Tobin Bolter died of a gunshot wound to the neck, according to the Ada County Coroner’s Office.
—Rachel Spacek, Idaho Statesman, 22 Apr. 2024
The tools of a jungle hospital surrounded her: saws for amputations, yards of gauze for bullet wounds and a generator to power lights for surgery.
—Hannah Beech Adam Ferguson, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024
Still, as the pandemic wound down, many shoppers returned to their former habits, and the appeal of self-checkout lost some of its allure.
—Kate Gibson, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2024
One entry wound was actually a re-entry wound from the round that hit her arm.
—James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Apr. 2024
Verb
In Gaza, in addition to the more than 34,000 killed in Israel’s subsequent attacks, more than 77,000 Palestinians have been wounded, according to the Health Ministry there.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2024
At least 15 people were wounded, including nine with life-threatening injuries.
—Andrea Vacchiano, Fox News, 22 Apr. 2024
The fighting comes as more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed and 70,000 wounded after the Hamas attack on Oct. 7 killed about 1,200.
—Niraj Warikoo, Detroit Free Press, 22 Apr. 2024
The 30-year-old was dead at the scene and the 40-year-old was wounded and is expected to survive, according to police.
—James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Apr. 2024
Russia has also managed to replace the more than 315,000 troops that have been killed or wounded in battle, according to American officials.
—Marc Santora, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2024
Columbine High School shooting Key date: April 20, 1999
What happened: Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold killed 13 people and wounded 24 in a mass shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado.
—James Powel, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
The 1979 shooting at Grover Cleveland Elementary School in San Diego left two dead and nine wounded; A 1989 shooting at another Cleveland Elementary School in Stockton, California, left 5 dead and 32 wounded.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 19 Apr. 2024
The 18-year-old man was found wounded and was pronounced deceased at the scene.
—Harry Harris, The Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wound.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near wound
Cite this Entry
“Wound.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wound. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.
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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