injure

[in-jer]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR injure ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), in·jured, in·jur·ing.

to do or cause harm of any kind to; damage; hurt; impair: to injure one's hand.

to do wrong or injustice to.

to wound or offend: to injure a friend's feelings.

Origin of injure

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

Related formsin·jur·a·ble, adjectivein·jur·er, nounqua·si-in·jured, adjectivere·in·jure, verb (used with object), re·in·jured, re·in·jur·ing.un·in·jured, adjectiveun·in·jur·ing, adjective

Synonyms for injure

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR injure ON THESAURUS.COM

1. spoil, ruin, break, mar. 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. 2. maltreat, abuse.

Antonyms for injure

1. benefit.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for injure

The al Qaeda-linked gunmen shot back, but only managed to injure one officer before they were taken out.
France Kills Charlie Hebdo Murderers|Nico Hines|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Even a relatively small 250-pound bomb could kill or injure friendly troops who are within 650 feet of the explosion.
New U.S. Stealth Jet Can’t Fire Its Gun Until 2019|Dave Majumdar|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Beijing, famously, launched a coordinated and sustained attack against Google a half decade ago to injure its business in China.
Sony Blames North Korea for Hacking, but Washington Left Them Completely Vulnerable|Gordon G. Chang|December 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The children in these stories then went on to injure themselves by falling off of old bridges or cutting themselves.
Why Are Millennials Unfriending Organized Religion?|Vlad Chituc|November 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Not mentioned in the video: Firearms kill or injure 10,000 American children each year.
NRA Hipster: Give All Kids a Gun|Brandy Zadrozny|July 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
No, it was not in her disposition to injure any one, even should it not be likely to draw down danger upon herself.
Tales From the 'Phantasus', etc. of Ludwig Tieck|Ludwig Tieck
They are laying down the weapons they know best how to use, and adopting weapons so unsuitable that they only injure the users.
The Task of Social Hygiene|Havelock Ellis
Neither envy nor calumny had the least influence over me, or I felt it only from persons who had not the power to injure me.
My Ten Years' Imprisonment|Silvio Pellico
Would you insult and injure a modest maiden, slave though she be?
Darkness and Dawn|Frederic W. Farrar
Ye cannot injure the man who has sixty years lived in honour.
The Life and Adventures of Baron Trenck|Baron Trenck

British Dictionary definitions for injure

injure

verb (tr)

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

to offend, esp by an injustice

Derived Formsinjurable, adjectiveinjured, adjectiveinjurer, noun

Word Origin for injure

C16: back formation from injury

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

Word Origin and History for injure

mid-15c., "do an injustice to, dishonor," probably a back-formation from injury, or else from Middle French injuriier, from Latin injurare. Injury also served as a verb (late 15c.). Related: Injured; injuring.