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 Russian drone attacks overnight injured at least 18 people in the Kharkiv region and three people in Dnipro, officials said. Time, 27 Mar. 2025 Agents were not injured in the incident, Underwood said. Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2025 Waymo doesn’t know whether the person riding the scooter was injured. ArsTechnica, 27 Mar. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for injure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for injure
Verb
  • But even though teams and equipment have been flown in from other nations, they are hindered by the airports in those cities being damaged and apparently unfit to land planes.
    Time, Time, 29 Mar. 2025
  • Communication towers and water and electricity utilities were damaged, OCHA said.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Rodgers was cut by the New York Jets earlier this year following two seasons marred by an achilles injury and 6-12 overall record as the team’s starting quarterback.
    Sean Neumann, People.com, 20 Mar. 2025
  • For Harris and his teammates, March Madness presents an opportunity for redemption after a season marred by a dozen losses.
    Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • For me, nothing hurts worse than missing a dose at the start of a rainy period.
    Elizabeth Medeiros, Health, 22 Mar. 2025
  • An omission, among other allegations, that Cook claimed hurt her reputation as an advocate for women.
    Dominic Patten, Deadline, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • About six weeks ago, hackers crippled the computer systems of the TV and mobile phone provider Dish Network.
    Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2023
  • Oakland Mills Coach: Chris Brewington Last season: Class 2A state champion Outlook: Losing the talent Oakland Mills did from last year’s outdoor season would cripple most programs, but the Scorpions have reloaded.
    Anthony Maluso, Baltimore Sun, 22 Mar. 2023
Verb
  • The strike hit the surgical building of Nasser Hospital in the city of Khan Yunis, the ministry said, days after the facility was overwhelmed with the dead and wounded when Israel resumed the war in Gaza last week with a surprise wave of airstrikes.
    Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Authorities said that Taylor’s sons, Josiah Hooker, 8, and a 5-year-old found a loaded 9mm Smith and Wesson semiautomatic handgun on a television stand that Taylor had left unattended at the family home in the 1400 block of East 71st Place when they were both wounded around 5:20 p.m. on Thursday.
    William Lee, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • His health weakened by overwork and physical ailments, McCombs spent much of the last months of his life under medical care.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 22 Mar. 2025
  • The doctor added that recovery would best continue away from the hospital, where exposure to viruses risks weakening the Holy Father's condition.
    Danielle Wallace, Fox News, 22 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Democrats mounted several wins and strong performances in the special elections in the lead-up to the 2024 general election, but saw bruising losses across the board last November.
    Jack Birle, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 26 Mar. 2025
  • Those of us in Washington who fought through the bruising first Trump trade war knew better.
    Dewardric L. McNeal, CNBC, 23 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Grief can affect cognitive capacity, temporarily impairing concentration, memory, and decision-making abilities.
    Megan Bruneau, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
  • This group of chronic diseases can lead to malnutrition, which impairs immune function.
    James Myhre & Dennis Sifris, MD, Verywell Health, 25 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Injure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/injure. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

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