sprain
Americanverb (used with object)
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sprains,
present (3rd person singular)
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sprained,
past participle, past
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spraining
present participle
noun
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sprains
plural
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a violent straining or wrenching of the parts around a joint, without dislocation.
-
the condition of being sprained.
verb
noun
Synonym Usage
See strain 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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sprainsimple
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sprainssimple
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have sprainedperfect
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has sprainedperfect
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am sprainingprogressive
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are sprainingprogressive
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is sprainingprogressive
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have been sprainingperfect progressive
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has been sprainingperfect progressive
Past
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sprainedsimple
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had sprainedperfect
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was sprainingprogressive
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were sprainingprogressive
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had been sprainingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of sprain
First recorded in 1595–1605; origin uncertain
Explanation
To sprain one of your joints is to twist it suddenly. The result is a sprain, in which the ligaments have been injured. Don’t go hiking in high heels because you might sprain your ankle. A sprain — which occurs at joints such as the wrist, elbow, or knee — happens when the ligaments are turned quickly and painfully. After the initial pain, a sprain will swell up. Spraining something is difficult, but things could be worse — a sprained knee will heal quicker than a broken bone.
Vocabulary lists containing sprain
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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.
See Examples For:
Plum, who missed three games with a right ankle sprain earlier this season, is out with a lower left leg injury and will be re-evaluated in four weeks, the team announced Wednesday morning.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026
Recall, James suffered a grade 2 sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee in the deciding loss.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 17, 2026
All-American Yaxel Lendeborg, gutting out a knee sprain, added 13.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 7, 2026
France striker Mbappe, 27, was diagnosed with a left knee sprain at the beginning of March and has been missing from Real's line-up since their La Liga game against Osasuna on 21 February.
From BBC ● Mar. 16, 2026
A sprain would surely have healed by now.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
Lower limb injuries including sprains, bone damage and wear and tear of the tendons are common, he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
But the walk-in centre is not for medical emergencies, sprains, repeat prescriptions or long-term conditions.
From BBC ● Feb. 24, 2026
Fact: Back pain is usually caused by muscle strains or sprains, not by a serious condition like a disc or vertebrae issue.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 15, 2025
Tran had his feet under the seat in front of him at the time of the incident and suffered contusions and sprains to his ankle.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 11, 2024
Ankle sprains are very common in soccer, she says, talking fast like she’s in a hurry to show you the x-rays on her iPad.
From "Booked" by Kwame Alexander
Oklahoma City All-Star Jalen Williams has missed games with a hamstring injury, and San Antonio All-Star De’Aaron Fox is limping through contests on a sprained ankle.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 25, 2026
Captain Radko Gudas sprained his ankle in the Ducks’ playoff opener and didn’t return to the lineup, but he would have been available if Anaheim had advanced to another round.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 21, 2026
Thomas was taken to hospital, where he said he was lucky to only suffer "sprained ankles and minor stuff".
From BBC ● Apr. 30, 2026
Surely they were lucky that star Kevin Durant didn’t play in two of these three games, including missing Friday’s Game 3 with a sprained ankle.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 25, 2026
Coach West says Carmetta has sprained her ankle really bad.
From "A Good Kind of Trouble" by Lisa Moore Ramée
Cronin went back to his normal starting lineup with the exception of forward Tyler Bilodeau, who was out after spraining his left knee in practice Thursday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 22, 2025
Raducanu has not played since spraining ligaments in her foot during a Korea Open quarter-final against Daria Kasatkina on 21 September.
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2024
Dallas’ Maxi Kleber didn’t return after spraining his right shoulder when he took a hard fall on a blocking foul against Amir Coffey on a drive in the first minute of the second quarter.
From Seattle Times ● May 3, 2024
Tannehill made his first start since spraining his right ankle on Oct.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 25, 2023
I got to my feet: minor spraining of the sub ... trans ... damn, what was that called?
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
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.
