1
a
: an injury to the body (as from violence, accident, or surgery) that typically involves laceration or breaking of a membrane (such as the skin) and usually damage to underlying tissues
b
: a cut or breach in a plant usually due to an external agent
2
: a mental or emotional hurt or blow
3
: something resembling a wound in appearance or effect
especially
: a rift in or blow to a political body or social group
wounded; wounding; wounds
: to cause a wound to or in
: to inflict a wound
Examples of wound in a Sentence
Noun
She suffered a knife wound to her thigh.
Her mother's scorn left a wound that never healed.
Verb
Four people were seriously wounded in the explosion.
The soldier's leg was wounded by a grenade.
Losing the match wounded his pride.
Recent Examples on the Web
Los Angeles Times,
6 July 2026
In my West Palm Beach practice, cancer patients who need these skin substitutes instead have open head wounds.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
5 July 2026
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
30 June 2026
The battlefield where Walton was wounded in the Siege of Savannah is across the street.
—
Adam Van Brimmer,
AJC.com,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for wound
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show current usage.
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Noun
In fact, nine of the signers died during the Revolutionary War from disease, prison hardships or combat wounds.
—
Los Angeles Times,
6 July 2026
In my West Palm Beach practice, cancer patients who need these skin substitutes instead have open head wounds.
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
5 July 2026
Verb
Gangbangers as young as 14 terrorized a Bronx neighborhood for months with shootouts targeting rivals from a local housing project while often wounding innocent bystanders, law enforcement officials said Monday.
—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
30 June 2026
The battlefield where Walton was wounded in the Siege of Savannah is across the street.
—
Adam Van Brimmer,
AJC.com,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for wound
Cite this Entry
“Wound.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wound. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wound
1 of 3 noun1
: an injury involving cutting or breaking of bodily tissue (as by violence, accident, or surgery)
2
: an injury to a person's feelings
wound
2 of 3 verb1
: to hurt by cutting or breaking bodily tissue
the broken glass wounded several people
2
: to hurt the feelings or pride of
his remark wounded her
Medical Definition
wound
1 of 2 noun1
a
: a physical injury to the body consisting of a laceration or breaking of the skin or mucous membrane often with damage to underlying tissue
has a deep festering knife wound across the palm
a gunshot wound
b
: an opening made in the skin or a membrane of the body incidental to a surgical operation or procedure
infection of a surgical wound
2
: a mental or emotional hurt or blow
emotional wounds of childhood
wound
2 of 2 transitive verb
: to cause a wound to or in
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