# injure

/ˈɪndʒɝ/ (US) · /ˈɪndʒɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/injure
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. physical harm

verb · CEFR B1

to hurt a person or animal physically, especially in an accident.

For teachers: to cause physical harm or bodily damage to a living being, typically through an external force or accident.

- He managed to injure his knee while playing football last weekend.
- The blast was powerful enough to injure several bystanders who were standing across the street from the construction site.

### 2. damage to something abstract

verb · CEFR B2 · Formal · Academic

to damage something that is not physical, like a reputation or a business.

For teachers: to impair, damage, or negatively affect an abstract entity such as a reputation, career, or legal standing.

- The scandal could seriously injure the company's reputation in the international market.
- Legal experts argued that the new policy would unfairly injure the rights of small business owners in the region.

## Examples

- He managed to injure his leg while playing football.
- The news reported that several passengers were injured when the bus skidded off the icy road.
- While the fall did not appear serious at first, the athlete feared he might have injured his shoulder enough to jeopardize his participation in the upcoming championship.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.