injure

verb

in·​jure ˈin-jər How to pronounce injure (audio)
injured; injuring ˈin-j(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce injure (audio)

transitive verb

1
a
: to inflict bodily hurt on
b
: to impair the soundness of
injured her health
c
: to inflict material damage or loss on
2
a
: to harm, impair, or tarnish the standing of
injured his reputation
b
: to give pain to
injure a person's pride
c
: to do an injustice to : wrong
injurer noun
Choose the Right Synonym for injure

injure, harm, hurt, damage, impair, mar mean to affect injuriously.

injure implies the inflicting of anything detrimental to one's looks, comfort, health, or success.

badly injured in an accident

harm often stresses the inflicting of pain, suffering, or loss.

careful not to harm the animals

hurt implies inflicting a wound to the body or to the feelings.

hurt by their callous remarks

damage suggests injury that lowers value or impairs usefulness.

a table damaged in shipping

impair suggests a making less complete or efficient by deterioration or diminution.

years of smoking had impaired his health

mar applies to injury that spoils perfection (as of a surface) or causes disfigurement.

the text is marred by many typos

Examples of injure in a Sentence

She fell and injured herself. She fell and slightly injured her arm. Several people were badly injured in the accident.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Man charged after crash that killed 5 A man was charged Friday with intoxication manslaughter after five people were killed and several injured in a late-night wreck in Austin, Texas, that involved more than a dozen vehicles on Interstate 35, authorities said. Compiled By Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 15 Mar. 2025 After leaving he workplace, police said Bell later returned, pulled a gun and shot the man in the torso, seriously injuring him. Michael Moore Jr., Miami Herald, 15 Mar. 2025 The most high-profile attack claimed by ISIS in 2024 was the devastating assault on a Moscow shopping mall in March, which left at least 150 dead and more than 500 injured. Mary Kay Mallonee, CNN, 15 Mar. 2025 Officials in Arkansas said Saturday morning that three people died in Independence County and 29 others were injured across eight counties as storms passed through the state overnight. Bruce Shipkowski, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for injure

Word History

Etymology

Middle English enjuren, from Anglo-French *enjurer, from Late Latin injuriare, from Latin injuria injury

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2c

Time Traveler
The first known use of injure was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Injure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/injure. Accessed 18 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

injure

verb
in·​jure ˈin-jər How to pronounce injure (audio)
injured; injuring ˈinj-(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce injure (audio)
1
: to do an injustice to : wrong
2
: to cause pain or harm to
injured her arm
injured his pride
3
: to cause to suffer damage or loss
a tax that injured business
houses injured by the storm

Medical Definition

injure

transitive verb
in·​jure ˈin-jər How to pronounce injure (audio)
injured; injuring ˈinj-(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce injure (audio)
1
: to inflict bodily hurt on
2
: to impair the soundness of
injure your health

Legal Definition

injure

1 of 2 transitive verb
in·​jure
injured; injuring
1
: to interfere with or violate the legally protected interests of: as
a
: to harm the physical, emotional, or mental well-being of
b
: to cause (another) to suffer from damage to, deprivation of, or interference with property or a property interest
c
: to violate the constitutionally or otherwise legally protected rights of
2
: to mar or impair the soundness or appearance of (as a building) : deface

in jure

2 of 2 adverb
in ju·​re
in-ˈju̇r-ē, -ˈyü-rā
: in right, law, or justice
Etymology

Latin

More from Merriam-Webster on injure

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