injure

[in-jer]

verb (used with object)

injured, injuring 

1. to do or cause harm of any kind to; damage; hurt; impair.

   to injure one's hand.

   Synonyms: mar, break, ruin, spoil
   Antonyms: benefit

2. to do wrong or injustice to.

   Synonyms: abuse, maltreat

3. to wound or offend.

   to injure a friend's feelings.

injure

/ ˈɪndʒə /

verb

1. to cause physical or mental harm or suffering to; hurt or wound

2. to offend, esp by an injustice

Other Word Forms

• injurable adjective
• injurer noun
• quasi-injured adjective
• reinjure verb (used with object)
• uninjured adjective
• uninjuring adjective
• injured adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of injure¹

1575–85; back formation from injury (noun); replacing injury (verb)

Word History and Origins

Origin of injure¹

C16: back formation from _injury

Synonym Study

Injure, impair mean to harm or damage something. Injure is a general term referring to any kind or degree of damage: to injure one's spine; to injure one's reputation. To impair is to make imperfect in any way, often with a suggestion of progressive deterioration and of permanency in the result: One's health is impaired by overwork.

Example Sentences

By comparison, objects measuring around 20 meters across -- such as the one that exploded over Chelyabinsk, Russia, in 2013 -- can generate powerful airbursts capable of damaging buildings and injuring people with shockwaves.

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All three were bad or injured or both.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

She said she works in a hospital that sometimes takes sick or injured detainees from the Broadview facility, as well as protesters arrested by ICE in the area.

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In the day’s biggest upset, nobody got injured.

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It’s important to keep the movement and exercises unloaded, he says, meaning using reduced weight or pressure on the injured area.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• batter 
• break 
• damage 
• harm 
• hurt 
• maim 
• mutilate 
• torture 
• wound