lac·er·ate
ˈla-sə-ˌrāt 
lacerated; lacerating
1
: to tear or rend roughly : wound jaggedly
2
: to cause sharp mental or emotional pain to : distress
lac·er·ate
ˈla-sə-rət
-ˌrāt
-ˌrāt
variants
or lacerated
1
a
: torn jaggedly : mangled
b
: extremely harrowed or distracted
2
: having the edges deeply and irregularly cut
a lacerate petal
Examples of lacerate in a Sentence
Verb
The broken glass lacerated his feet.
The patient's hand was severely lacerated.
Recent Examples on the Web
Bayliss Wagner, Austin American-Statesman, 4 Jan. 2024
As the rapid retreat of ISIS from the Mosul Dam indicated, U.S. aircraft can lacerate ISIS when its fighters come out in numbers on the offensive, or stop to set up mortar or artillery positions.
—Steven Simon, Foreign Affairs, 26 Aug. 2014
Paul Schwartzman, Washington Post, 9 July 2018
Reared in New York's indelicate political culture, Trump does not like to appear meek, using rallies and his Twitter account to lacerate rivals.
—Author: Paul Schwartzman, Josh Dawsey, Anchorage Daily News, 9 July 2018
See all Example Sentences for lacerate 
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Verb
Migrant children have been lacerated by the fences, needing stitches in some cases, USA TODAY has reported.
—Bayliss Wagner, Austin American-Statesman, 4 Jan. 2024
As the rapid retreat of ISIS from the Mosul Dam indicated, U.S. aircraft can lacerate ISIS when its fighters come out in numbers on the offensive, or stop to set up mortar or artillery positions.
—Steven Simon, Foreign Affairs, 26 Aug. 2014
Adjective
Reared in New York’s indelicate political culture, Trump does not like to appear meek, using rallies and his Twitter account to lacerate rivals.
—Paul Schwartzman, Washington Post, 9 July 2018
Reared in New York's indelicate political culture, Trump does not like to appear meek, using rallies and his Twitter account to lacerate rivals.
—Author: Paul Schwartzman, Josh Dawsey, Anchorage Daily News, 9 July 2018
See all Example Sentences for lacerate
Dictionary Entries Near lacerate
Cite this Entry
“Lacerate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lacerate. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
lacerate
transitive verb
lac·er·ate
ˈlas-ə-ˌrāt
lacerated; lacerating
: to tear or rend roughly : wound jaggedly
a lacerated spleen
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