injury

American  

[in-juh-ree] / ˈɪn dʒə ri /

noun

injuries plural

1. harm or damage that is done or sustained.

   to escape without injury.

   Synonyms:

   mischief, impairment, ruin, destruction

   Antonyms:

   benefit

2. a particular form or instance of harm.

   an injury to one's shoulder; an injury to one's pride.

3. wrong or injustice done or suffered.

4. Law. any wrong or violation of the rights, property, reputation, etc., of another for which legal action to recover damages may be made.

5. Obsolete. injurious speech; calumny.

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injury British  

/ ˈɪndʒərɪ /

noun

1. physical damage or hurt

2. a specific instance of this

   a leg injury

3. harm done to a reputation

4. law a violation or infringement of another person's rights that causes him harm and is actionable at law

5. an obsolete word for insult

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injury Idioms  

1. see add insult to injury.

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Synonym Usage

Injury, hurt, wound refer to impairments or wrongs. Injury, originally denoting a wrong done or suffered, is hence used for any kind of evil, impairment, or loss, caused or sustained: physical injury; injury to one's reputation. Hurt suggests especially physical injury, often bodily injury attended with pain: a bad hurt from a fall. A wound is usually a physical hurt caused by cutting, shooting, etc., or an emotional hurt: a serious wound in the shoulder; to inflict a wound by betraying someone's trust.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• noninjury
  noun
• self-injury
  noun
• reinjury
  noun

Inflected Forms

noun

• injuries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of injury

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English injurie, from Latin injūria “unlawful conduct, injustice,” equivalent to in- in- ³ + jūr-, stem of jūs “right, law” ( see jus, just ¹) + -ia -ia

Explanation

Injury is a noun with several similar meanings, all involving physical harm or wrongdoing. If you’re not careful, your reckless bike riding could result in a crash that causes injury. Injury often refers to physical damage, but it can be used more figuratively to describe something that's unjust or that causes harm that isn't physical. For example, your estranged grandfather might do you the injury of leaving you out of his will. The word injury comes from in-, meaning “not,” and the Latin root ius or iur, meaning “right.” So an injury is something that's not right — it's something that has gone wrong that leads to damage.

Example Sentences

Augustus Mensah - who was interviewed for the BBC's Slavery At Sea documentary in 2024 - told court that his ordeal ended when he suffered a head injury and was taken to shore for treatment.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

Hesai, which previously said the designation caused “serious reputational injury, a significant drop in stock price, and lost business opportunities,” has returned to this year’s list.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

Sciver-Brunt is playing as a specialist batter as she continues her recovery from a calf injury.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

The 22-year-old missed two qualifying matches last September because of a shoulder injury but was overlooked for October's international camp, including a qualifier against Latvia.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

Fortuitously, no injury was sustained by either the four-footed or two-footed victims of the misadventure.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck

Related Words

• abuse
• bruise
• burn
• cramp
• cut
• damage
• fracture
• laceration
• loss
• scar
• shock
• sore
• sprain
• suffering
• swelling
• trauma
• wound