INJURY Synonyms: 67 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'injury' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of injury are grievance , injustice , and wrong . While all these words mean "an act that inflicts undeserved hurt," injury applies in law specifically to an injustice for which one may sue to recover compensation. // libel constitutes a legal injury

Q: When could 'grievance' be used to replace 'injury'?

The synonyms grievance and injury are sometimes interchangeable, but grievance applies to a circumstance or condition that constitutes an injustice to the sufferer and gives just ground for complaint. // a list of employee grievances

Q: When is it sensible to use 'injustice' instead of 'injury'?

In some situations, the words injustice and injury are roughly equivalent. However, injustice applies to any act that involves unfairness to another or violation of one's rights. // the injustices suffered by the lower classes

Q: In what contexts can 'wrong' take the place of 'injury'?

While in some cases nearly identical to injury , wrong applies also in law to any act punishable according to the criminal code; it may apply more generally to any flagrant injustice. // determined to right society's wrongs

injury

noun

ˈin-j(ə-)rē

Definition of injury

as in damage

something that causes loss or pain the harsh words were the worst injury that his father could inflict

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in injustice

unfair or inadequate treatment of someone or something or an instance of this the state did the rancher an injury when it destroyed his herd of cattle without adequate proof that it was diseased

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun injury contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of injury are grievance, injustice, and wrong. While all these words mean "an act that inflicts undeserved hurt," injury applies in law specifically to an injustice for which one may sue to recover compensation.

libel constitutes a legal injury

When could grievance be used to replace injury?

The synonyms grievance and injury are sometimes interchangeable, but grievance applies to a circumstance or condition that constitutes an injustice to the sufferer and gives just ground for complaint.

a list of employee grievances

When is it sensible to use injustice instead of injury?

In some situations, the words injustice and injury are roughly equivalent. However, injustice applies to any act that involves unfairness to another or violation of one's rights.

the injustices suffered by the lower classes

In what contexts can wrong take the place of injury?

While in some cases nearly identical to injury, wrong applies also in law to any act punishable according to the criminal code; it may apply more generally to any flagrant injustice.

determined to right society's wrongs

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 injury Officers also found Lawantara suffering from injuries and he was transported to a hospital for treatment. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026 One person was transported to a hospital with gunshot wounds, and the other person was being treated for injuries from glass shrapnel, police said. — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026 No injuries were reported to the homeowner, responding officers or the bobcat, according to the Kirkland Police Department. — Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026 Identities of the firefighters and details of their injuries have not been released. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for injury

Recent Examples of Synonyms for injury

Noun

After the demonstrations, the cutting edge remained intact, with no visible chipping or major edge damage.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
The province of Jijel, 200 kilometers (125 miles) east of Algiers, renowned for its fine sandy beaches, turquoise waters and hills of olive trees and fruit trees and cedars, has suffered the greatest damage.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of damage

Noun

Gloria Steinem attributed her mother's nervous breakdown before she was born, and her treatment in mental institutions and the workforce thereafter, as key to her interest in social injustices.

— Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
Movie night this past week was Taylor Sheridan’s Wind River, an absolutely devastating neo-Western that examines the injustice many Native American women face on and off the reservation.

— Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of injustice

Noun

Earlier this year, an open letter from agency leadership warned against using federal funds to buy harm reduction supplies like sterile syringes and pipes, or to distribute test strips for common drug supply contaminants.

— Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 3 Sep. 2026
The harm caused by the delays spurred immigration attorneys and advocates in the state to send a letter to Chief Judge Sul Ozerden in March about the habeas bottleneck.

— Carla Astudillo, ProPublica, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of harm

Noun

Ultimately, the level of documentation should reflect the consequences of getting the record wrong.

— Beth Worthy, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Salazar’s attorney, George Rosenstock, argued in court filings that his client could not distinguish right from wrong or understand the nature of his actions at the time of the attack.

— James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of wrong

Noun

He was subsequently dismissed by Dior and, months later, found guilty by a French court of making public insults based on origin, religion, race, or ethnicity.

— Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 31 Aug. 2026
The arrest came after Kelley Wolf had reportedly made a series of hostile social media posts, which featured insults and allegations against various friends and family, including her ex-husband, Wolf.

— Edward Segarra, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of insult

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injurious

injury

injustice

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“Injury.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/injury. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of injury

noun

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