injure

verb

ˈin-jər How to pronounce injure (audio)
Definition of injurenext
1
as in to damage
to cause bodily damage to injured himself while skiing

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to mar
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of the agent's treachery has injured our national security for years to come

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 No officers were injured, according to the news release. —Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 7 Apr. 2025 More than 320 people have been injured in the past five years and at least nine have died. —Katie Moore, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2025 One person was injured and transported to Shock Trauma, fire officials said. —Michelle Deal-Zimmerman, Baltimore Sun, 28 Mar. 2025 Two people were killed and five injured in strikes in Kherson overnight, regional Gov. Oleksandr Prokudin said Thursday. —David Brennan, ABC News, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for injure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for injure
  1. damage
  2. mar
  3. hurt
  4. cripple
  5. wound
  6. weaken
  7. bruise
  8. impair
Verb
  • Their son and daughter-in-law, Cameron Bott, 35, and his wife, Diana, 36, whose nearby home was damaged in the tornado, initiated a discussion about starting a GoFundMe to offset potential insurance shortfalls in rebuilding the gas station.
    — Tammy Ljungblad, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2025
  • There was a fire in 2023 that damaged part of the nightclub, authorities said.
    — Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of damage
Verb
  • The transition has been marred by ongoing disagreements, political tensions, infighting and what security experts describe as a lack of a cohesive strategy for fighting the gangs.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2025
  • What Happened On March 8? The SAT, a cornerstone of college admissions, was marred by technical and administrative issues on test day.
    — Scott White, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of mar
Verb
  • Republicans at the Capitol understand this is going to hurt not just Americans, but their own political futures.
    — Philip Elliott, Time, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Trump's most expansive tariffs to date and larger than most experts expected ‒ could further hurt a weakening economy, send the stock market plummeting and even lead to a recession.
    — Joey Garrison, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2025
Definition of hurt
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
Definition of cripple
Verb
  • Sheriff McDowell, who's on the ground wounded, sees Banner kill Clyde.
    — Matt Cabral, EW.com, 6 Apr. 2025
  • On April 2, Russian forces launched multiple strikes on residential areas in the front line city of Pokrovsk, killing one civilian and wounding six others.
    — Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of wound
Verb
  • More broadly, consumer sentiment has declined and retail sales growth has weakened, reflecting the uncertainty of customers over where the economy is headed.
    — Harry Holzer, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • But that progress stalled out around the turn of the year, which weakened the case for further rate cuts and ultimately prompted the Fed to stand pat in January.
    — Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of weaken
Verb
  • In surgery, certain risks are universal—infection, hematoma and seroma (collections of blood or fluid under the skin), swelling, bruising, pain, and poor healing, to name a few.
    — Jolene Edgar, Allure, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The band is wide enough to avoid creating rolls, while not bruising my armpits with underwire.
    — Andrea Jordan, Glamour, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of bruise
Verb
  • Substance Use Ravages Mitochondria And Mental Health Alcohol, stimulants, and tobacco all impair mitochondrial function—sometimes permanently.
    — Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
  • She is charged with criminal vehicular homicide, felony criminal operation and driving while impaired, among other violations.
    — Olivia Estright, Twin Cities, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of impair

Browse Nearby Words

injunctions
injure
injured
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Cite this Entry

“Injure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/injure. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.

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