transitive verb

1
a
: to inflict bodily hurt on
b
: to impair the soundness of
injured her health
c
: to inflict material damage or loss on
2
a
: to harm, impair, or tarnish the standing of
injured his reputation
b
: to give pain to
injure a person's pride
c
: to do an injustice to : wrong
Choose the Right Synonym for injure

injure, harm, hurt, damage, impair, mar mean to affect injuriously.

injure implies the inflicting of anything detrimental to one's looks, comfort, health, or success.

badly injured in an accident

harm often stresses the inflicting of pain, suffering, or loss.

careful not to harm the animals

hurt implies inflicting a wound to the body or to the feelings.

hurt by their callous remarks

damage suggests injury that lowers value or impairs usefulness.

a table damaged in shipping

impair suggests a making less complete or efficient by deterioration or diminution.

years of smoking had impaired his health

mar applies to injury that spoils perfection (as of a surface) or causes disfigurement.

the text is marred by many typos

Examples of injure in a Sentence

She fell and injured herself. She fell and slightly injured her arm. Several people were badly injured in the accident.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
None of the 60 employees inside SPS Technologies, which manufactures fasteners mainly for the aerospace industry, was injured after explosions set off the fire. Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2025 None of the vehicle occupants reported being injured, state police said. Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 19 Feb. 2025 Although there was no damage in Orchard Hills, five structures were destroyed elsewhere, 11 were damaged, and two firefighters were critically injured. Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2025 The small explosion by the device, which appeared to be a pipe filled with gunpowder, injured two people in the hall in Wakayama, a port city south of Osaka. Martin Fackler, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for injure 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English enjuren, from Anglo-French *enjurer, from Late Latin injuriare, from Latin injuria injury

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2c

Time Traveler
The first known use of injure was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near injure

Cite this Entry

“Injure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/injure. Accessed 23 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

1
: to do an injustice to : wrong
2
: to cause pain or harm to
injured her arm
injured his pride
3
: to cause to suffer damage or loss
a tax that injured business
houses injured by the storm

Medical Definition

injure

transitive verb
1
: to inflict bodily hurt on
2
: to impair the soundness of
injure your health

Legal Definition

injure

1 of 2 transitive verb
in·​jure
injured; injuring
1
: to interfere with or violate the legally protected interests of: as
a
: to harm the physical, emotional, or mental well-being of
b
: to cause (another) to suffer from damage to, deprivation of, or interference with property or a property interest
c
: to violate the constitutionally or otherwise legally protected rights of
2
: to mar or impair the soundness or appearance of (as a building) : deface

in jure

2 of 2 adverb
in ju·​re
in-ˈju̇r-ē, -ˈyü-rā
: in right, law, or justice
Etymology

Latin

More from Merriam-Webster on injure

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