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

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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. 2018

Related Words for injure

torture, wound, damage, cripple, break, disable, batter, maim, mutilate, deface, distress, foul, impair, pique, torment, total, weaken, tarnish, ruin, deform

Examples from the Web for injure

Contemporary Examples of 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
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
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
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
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

Historical Examples of injure

We are bound in all our visits to bring relief to invalids, and not to injure them.
The Imaginary Invalid
Molire
This commandment forbids us to kill or injure other persons or ourselves.
An Explanation of Luther's Small Catechism
Joseph Stump
Any turbidness or impurity in the water will injure the clearness of the sweetmeats.
Directions for Cookery, in its Various Branches
Eliza Leslie
This warmth of mine might injure you in your husband's opinion.
Tales And Novels, Volume 8 (of 10)
Maria Edgeworth
I am not that which you call good, but it is impossible that I injure you.
The Inn at the Red Oak
Latta Griswold

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.