INJURE Synonyms: 116 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'injure' distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of injure are damage , harm , hurt , impair , and mar . While all these words mean "to affect injuriously," injure implies the inflicting of anything detrimental to one's looks, comfort, health, or success. // badly injured in an accident

Q: When might 'damage' be a better fit than 'injure'?

The words damage and injure are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, damage suggests injury that lowers value or impairs usefulness. // a table damaged in shipping

Q: When is it sensible to use 'harm' instead of 'injure'?

Although the words harm and injure have much in common, harm often stresses the inflicting of pain, suffering, or loss. // careful not to harm the animals

Q: When can 'hurt' be used instead of 'injure'?

In some situations, the words hurt and injure are roughly equivalent. However, hurt implies inflicting a wound to the body or to the feelings. // hurt by their callous remarks

Q: When would 'impair' be a good substitute for 'injure'?

The words impair and injure can be used in similar contexts, but impair suggests a making less complete or efficient by deterioration or diminution. // years of smoking had impaired his health

Q: When could 'mar' be used to replace 'injure'?

The meanings of mar and injure largely overlap; however, mar applies to injury that spoils perfection (as of a surface) or causes disfigurement. // the text is marred by many typos

injure

verb

ˈin-jər

Definition of injure next

as in to damage

to cause bodily damage to injured himself while skiing

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to mar

to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of the agent's treachery has injured our national security for years to come

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word injure distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of injure are damage, harm, hurt, impair, and mar. While all these words mean "to affect injuriously," injure implies the inflicting of anything detrimental to one's looks, comfort, health, or success.

badly injured in an accident

When might damage be a better fit than injure?

The words damage and injure are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, damage suggests injury that lowers value or impairs usefulness.

a table damaged in shipping

When is it sensible to use harm instead of injure?

Although the words harm and injure have much in common, harm often stresses the inflicting of pain, suffering, or loss.

careful not to harm the animals

When can hurt be used instead of injure?

In some situations, the words hurt and injure are roughly equivalent. However, hurt implies inflicting a wound to the body or to the feelings.

hurt by their callous remarks

When would impair be a good substitute for injure?

The words impair and injure can be used in similar contexts, but impair suggests a making less complete or efficient by deterioration or diminution.

years of smoking had impaired his health

When could mar be used to replace injure?

The meanings of mar and injure largely overlap; however, mar applies to injury that spoils perfection (as of a surface) or causes disfigurement.

the text is marred by many typos

Examples Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of injure There is strong evidence, in both animals and people, that exposure to even a single blast can injure blood vessels in a way that initiates a cascade of repair mechanisms. —

Jon Hamilton, NPR, 14 Jan. 2025 And after injuring himself on a dunk attempt, his first bucket was an easy, two-handed dunk off a Sabonis assist early in the first quarter. —

Chris Biderman, Sacramento Bee, 13 Jan. 2025 The Conway Police Department announced an arrest tied to a New Year's Eve shooting that left one person injured, the agency announced Thursday. —

Daniel McFadin, arkansasonline.com, 2 Jan. 2025 New Orleans hospitals treated a total of 37 victims who were injured in Wednesday's attack. —

Anders Hagstrom, Fox News, 2 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for injure

Recent Examples of Synonyms for injure

Verb

When radon gas is inhaled, its radioactive particles can damage lung tissue, which increases the risk of developing lung cancer.

— Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
Other establishments were not damaged but remain inaccessible due to the devastation.

— Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2025