traumatic brain injury

noun

: an acquired brain injury caused by external force (such as a blow to the head sustained in a motor vehicle accident or fall or shrapnel or a bullet entering through the skull)
Traumatic brain injury occurs when the shock from an explosion damages neurological fibers. Soldiers may survive a blast with scarcely a cut, only to find over time that they suffer coordination and memory loss, dizziness, insomnia.—Nancy Gibbs
An unprotected fall, especially if the player is unconscious or his opponent lands on top of him, can result in severe traumatic brain injury.—Michael J. Stuart et al.
broadly : acquired brain injury
—abbreviation TBI

Examples of traumatic brain injury in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The force of the collision sent Thomas’ car over a curb and into a light pole, leaving him with traumatic brain injuries and multiple facial fractures. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 20 Oct. 2026 The researchers also reported that giving testosterone after injury reduced the excessive cardiovascular reactivity caused by traumatic brain injury in their model. — Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026 The Wayne State 2025 study also found that administering testosterone after injury reduced excessive cardiovascular reactivity induced by traumatic brain injury. — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 19 Oct. 2026 She was later diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, according to The Dallas Morning News. — Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for traumatic brain injury

Word History

First Known Use

1931, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of traumatic brain injury was in 1931

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Cite this Entry

“Traumatic brain injury.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/traumatic%20brain%20injury. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Medical Definition

traumatic brain injury

noun
: an acquired brain injury caused by external force (as a blow to the head sustained in a motor vehicle accident or fall or shrapnel or a bullet entering through the skull)
A soldier—or a civilian—can survive the blast without a single penetrating wound and still receive the worst diagnosis: traumatic brain injury, or TBI, the signature injury of the Iraq War.—Michael Mason, Discover
An unprotected fall, especially if the player is unconscious or his opponent lands on top of him, can result in severe traumatic brain injury.—Michael J. Stuart et al., USA Today
broadly : acquired brain injury
—abbreviation TBI
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