injure

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

Example 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 Four people are dead and one person is seriously injured after a fatal crash on Central Florida Parkway in Orange County on Saturday night, the Florida Highway Patrol said. Elainie Barraza, Orlando Sentinel, 2 Mar. 2025 The second teenager critically injured in last weekend's shooting at The Mall in Columbia has died from his injuries, Howard County Police said Saturday. Carson Swick, Baltimore Sun, 2 Mar. 2025 The shooter, Nikolas Cruz, a 19-year-old former student at the school, opened fire on students and staff, killing 17 people and injuring 17 others. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 2 Mar. 2025 Authorities said McCann-Ortiz repeatedly threatened to kill them and punched and kicked one of the victims who was seriously injured. Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 1 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for injure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for injure
Verb
  • Displays of authenticity, executed improperly, can damage reputations and even derail careers.
    Harrison Monarth, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
  • Moon dust plagued astronauts and spacecraft during NASA’s Apollo program in the mid-20th century, as the fine and abrasive material damaged camera lenses and visors, according to NASA.
    Jackie Wattles, CNN, 5 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • His final season was marred by a shoulder injury and insufficient QB play, but Loveland still led the Wolverines in receptions (56), receiving yards (582) and receiving TDs (five).
    Eddie Brown, The Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2025
  • The election took place seven months earlier than originally planned after Scholz’s unpopular coalition collapsed in November, three years into a term that was increasingly marred by infighting.
    Vanessa Gera, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The matches are now much more likely to reverse course if one team is pulling ahead — that certainly can’t hurt.
    Gabby Herzig, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
  • Speaking of credit scores, contrary to popular opinion, having multiple credit cards won’t hurt you.
    Aislyn Greene, AFAR Media, 26 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • About six weeks ago, hackers crippled the computer systems of the TV and mobile phone provider Dish Network.
    Shira Ovide, Washington Post, 4 Apr. 2023
  • Oakland Mills Coach: Chris Brewington Last season: Class 2A state champion Outlook: Losing the talent Oakland Mills did from last year’s outdoor season would cripple most programs, but the Scorpions have reloaded.
    Anthony Maluso, Baltimore Sun, 22 Mar. 2023
Verb
  • He had been wounded last summer, not far from the Russian border in northeastern Ukraine, when a blast from a grenade fractured his right shoulder blade, a bullet hit him just below his right collarbone, another tore through his left shoulder, and a third broke three ribs.
    Michael Holtz, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Douglas was sent to prison in 1985 after he and three other men were convicted for bursting into the East New York home of a drug dealer and killing three and wounding seven in a case that grabbed headlines for its horrific details.
    Graham Rayman, New York Daily News, 27 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • In the fourth quarter of 2024, WK Kellogg reported net sales of $640 million, a decrease of 1.7% compared to $651 million in the same period in 2023, impacted by a 5.6% volume decline and a 40 basis point headwind from the weakening Canadian dollar.
    Joe Cornell, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
  • But the Trump administration's new cuts further weaken a banking watchdog that has been sounding the alarm for years about its decreasing ability to prevent future banking crises.
    Maria Aspan, NPR, 27 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Some types of blood clotting disorders may cause excessive formation of blood clots, which can lead to stroke or heart attack—and other types cause too much bleeding, which can lead to bruising, blood loss, and liver damage.
    Steffini Stalos, Verywell Health, 4 Mar. 2025
  • The response was given by Elissa Slotkin, a freshman Democratic senator from Michigan and a new face for the party still licking its wounds from bruising down-ballot defeats last November.
    Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • All aunts were impaired and physically in need of help.
    Carolyn Rosenblatt, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
  • The researchers speculate that increases in fine particulate matter could be reducing running performance by constricting blood vessels, increasing inflammation, and impairing lung and brain function, but further research is needed to pin down the exact mechanisms at play.
    Claire Maldarelli, Scientific American, 28 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Injure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/injure. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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