Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for concussion. Search instead for concussions.
Synonyms

concussion

American  
[kuhn-kuhsh-uhn] / kənˈkʌʃ ən /

noun

  1. Pathology. injury to the brain or spinal cord due to jarring from a blow, fall, or the like.

  2. shock caused by the impact of a collision, blow, etc.

  3. the act of violently shaking or jarring.

concussion British  
/ kənˈkʌʃən /

noun

  1. a jarring of the brain, caused by a blow or a fall, usually resulting in loss of consciousness

  2. any violent shaking; jarring

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
concussion Scientific  
/ kən-kŭsh′ən /

  1. An injury to a soft structure, especially the brain, produced by a violent blow or impact and followed by a temporary, sometimes prolonged, loss of function. A concussion of the brain results in transient loss of consciousness or memory.

Other Word Forms

  • concussant adjective
  • concussional adjective
  • concussive adjective

Etymology

Origin of concussion

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin concussiōn-, stem of concussiō “a shaking,” also “earthquake, extortion”; equivalent to concuss + -ion

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Spurs will be without midfielder Joao Palhinha for the tie with Atletico as he continues to recover from concussion.

From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026

Stand-down periods for any player with a concussion are mandatory and guided by medical experts.

From BBC • Mar. 2, 2026

She likes to tell the story of how, after she was treated for a concussion and a broken arm at a local hospital, she wandered the halls confused why nobody was trying to charge her.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

Tagovailoa, dogged by injuries, suffered a serious concussion early in 2024.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026

“You must have hit your head. You don’t have a concussion, though, and I couldn’t find any injury on your scalp. Cade?”

From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.