bruised; bruising
1
: to inflict an injury involving rupture of small blood vessels and discoloration without a break in the overlying skin or a similar injury to plant tissue : to inflict a bruise (see bruise entry 1 sense 1) on : contuse
bruised her arm when he grabbed her
2
: to break down (leaves, berries, etc.) by pounding : crush
3
1
: to bear or show the effects of a bruise : to undergo bruising
her skin bruises easily
2
: to inflict a bruise
Synonyms
Examples of bruise in a Sentence
Noun
He had a bad bruise on his leg after he fell.
a bruise on an apple
Verb
She bruised her knee when she fell.
I don't want to bruise anyone's feelings.
Recent Examples on the Web
Max Gao, IndieWire, 7 Feb. 2025
Claude, who suffered a bone bruise in his leg but continued to play in USC’s 70-64 home win against then-No. 7 Michigan State on Saturday, had been listed as questionable before the game.
—Staff and News Service Reports, Orange County Register, 5 Feb. 2025
Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 6 Feb. 2025
The website comes after a bruising two weeks for public health workers.
—Erika Edwards, NBC News, 5 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for bruise 
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Noun
And honestly, bruises, aches and pains come with the territory.
—Max Gao, IndieWire, 7 Feb. 2025
Claude, who suffered a bone bruise in his leg but continued to play in USC’s 70-64 home win against then-No. 7 Michigan State on Saturday, had been listed as questionable before the game.
—Staff and News Service Reports, Orange County Register, 5 Feb. 2025
Verb
Novo Nordisk , Biogen , Eisai, Merck and Pfizer Weight in portfolio: 2.72% Most recent buy: Nov. 25, 2024 Initiated: Oct. 8, 2021 Bottom line Eli Lilly has its stride back after a bruising three-month stretch for the stock that began with its messy third-quarter earnings report.
—Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 6 Feb. 2025
The website comes after a bruising two weeks for public health workers.
—Erika Edwards, NBC News, 5 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for bruise
Dictionary Entries Near bruise
Cite this Entry
“Bruise.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bruise. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bruise
1 of 2 verb
bruised; bruising
1
a
: to cause a bruise on
b
: to become bruised
2
: to crush (as leaves or berries) by pounding
3
: to hurt the feelings of
bruise
2 of 2 noun1
: an injury (as from a blow) in which the skin is not broken but is discolored from the breaking of small blood vessels that lie underneath the skin : contusion
2
: an injury to a plant or fruit that resembles a bruise
Medical Definition
bruise
2 of 2 noun1
: an injury transmitted through unbroken skin to underlying tissue causing rupture of small blood vessels and escape of blood into the tissue with resulting discoloration : contusion
2
: an injury especially to the feelings
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