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

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

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 His hearty, reassuring voice sounded permanently injured, his words gravelly and uncertain. — Bob Woodward, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026 Nearly 1,000 police officers and gendarmes were injured, the ministry said. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 19 Oct. 2026 Nearly 2,400 people were arrested and almost 1,000 police officers and firefighters were injured, the French Interior Ministry said, after some of the worst unrest the country has seen in years. — Max Butterworth, NBC news, 19 Oct. 2026 Fourteen members of the security forces were reportedly injured. — Teresa Medrano, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for injure

Recent Examples of Synonyms for injure

Verb

Miles said one of his friends made the decision to drop his early decision application to Cornell, not because of the incident itself, but for fear the school’s reputation would be damaged.

— Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026
Insurance payouts for mortgaged homes damaged or destroyed by fires are typically not sent directly to homeowners but instead are held by lenders or servicers, who then disburse the funds in tranches as a home is rebuilt or repaired.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of damage

Verb

Both Republicans had promoted the narrative that the 2020 election was marred by fraud.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026
The tight finish came after a first half with see-saw action — mainly by Stewart — but was marred by whistles and questionable foul calls.

— Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of mar

Verb

Another six people were wounded, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced last week (in an interview with Pizzagate conspiracist Jack Posobiec) that the Pentagon would air the execution of the man convicted of the attack that killed 13 and wounded 30 more.

— Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of wound

Verb

But while those will provide short-term relief, the currency is expected to weaken toward the end of the year and mid-2027, and a 100 rupee-per-dollar mark could not be ruled out, strategists said.

— Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
However, following his arrest, the owner, Mohammad Khan, blamed this week's rains for weakening one of the roofs, according to police, who said the investigation was still underway.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of weaken

Verb

In my experience, the involvement of ketamine or other drugs invariably makes a bad situation worse – complicating consent, impairing judgment and reducing inhibitions.

— Christopher P. Holstege, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2026
Rivera has been charged with vehicular manslaughter, reckless driving, driving with ability impaired by drugs or alcohol, failure to yield to a pedestrian, and failure to stop at a stop sign.

— Katie Houlis, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of impair

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injunctions

injure

injured

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“Injure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/injure. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of injure

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