wound

¹ American  

[woond, wound] / wund, waʊnd /

noun

1. an injury, usually involving division of tissue or rupture of the integument or mucous membrane, due to external violence or some mechanical agency rather than disease.

   Synonyms:

   trauma, lesion, laceration, stab, cut

2. a similar injury to the tissue of a plant.

3. an injury or hurt to feelings, sensibilities, reputation, etc.

   Synonyms:

   anguish, pain, insult

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verb (used with object)

1. to inflict a wound upon; injure; hurt.

   Synonyms:

   lacerate, stab, cut, damage, harm

verb (used without object)

1. to inflict a wound.

idioms

1. lick one's wounds, to attempt to heal one's injuries or soothe one's hurt feelings after a defeat.

wound ² American  

[wound] / waʊnd /

verb

1. a simple past tense and past participle of wind and wind.

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wound ¹ British  

/ wuːnd /

noun

1. any break in the skin or an organ or part as the result of violence or a surgical incision

2. an injury to plant tissue

3. any injury or slight to the feelings or reputation

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verb

1. to inflict a wound or wounds upon (someone or something)

wound ² British  

/ waʊnd /

verb

1. the past tense and past participle of wind 2

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wound More Idioms  

1. see lick one's wounds; rub in (salt into a wound).

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Related Words

See injury.

Other Word Forms

• woundable adjective
• woundedly adverb
• wounder noun
• wounding adjective
• woundingly adverb
• woundless adjective

Etymology

Origin of wound

First recorded before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English wund; cognate with Old High German wunta ( German Wunde ), Old Norse und, Gothic wunds; (verb) Middle English wounden, Old English wundian, derivative of the noun

Example Sentences

This finding changes how scientists understand cell movement, cancer spread and wound healing.

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

"I lost all my family because of that. And as years went on I buried it deep inside, but the wound never heals."

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

Born the youngest of six children on March 20, 1984, in Dallas, Duong wound up leaving school to pursue a feature development deal for his screenplay “Enchanted Melody,” but that fell through because of financing.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

But she wound up being just one of many with such a pedigree in his Cabinet, and she’s kept a low profile ever since.

From Salon • Mar. 22, 2026

She seemed to shrivel, and her tongue flicked out and wound around and around.

From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff

Related Words

• bruise
• cut
• damage
• grief
• laceration
• lesion
• pain
• shock
• trauma