flesh wound

American

[woond] / wund /

noun

a wound that does not penetrate beyond the flesh; a slight or superficial wound.

flesh wound British

/ wuːnd /

noun

a wound affecting superficial tissues

"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

Etymology

Origin of flesh wound

First recorded in 1665–75

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.

"It's a rare visit to my local shops where I do not end up incurring some kind of flesh wound to my hands, arms, knees or shins."

From BBC • Aug. 24, 2023

But if that cuts deep, knowing you’ll have to wait for the reveal in a future Marvel movie, take heart: It’s only a flesh wound.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 4, 2021

“For those who truly know me, know that this is like a flesh wound to me,” Lawson wrote on Instagram late Thursday.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 20, 2021

It’s only a flesh wound - Biden seemed genuinely surprised at how poorly he did in Iowa.

From Fox News • Feb. 11, 2020

My leg burns with pain, but I ignore it—it’s just a flesh wound.

From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir

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