English Reference
Adjective

scarred

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈskɑɹd/ UK /skˈɑːd/ scarred

adj.having marks on the skin or surface from an old injury. It can also describe someone who is deeply upset by a bad experience from their past.

adj.marked by a permanent trace of a healed wound or damage; metaphorically, suffering from lasting psychological trauma. Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'remain' or 'be'.


SIMPLE

His face was scarred after the accident.

CONTEXTUAL

The old wooden table was badly scarred by years of heavy use and neglect.

COMPLEX

Many soldiers returned from the front lines physically healthy but emotionally scarred by the horrors they had witnessed during the conflict.

Usage

Often follows a linking verb or appears before a noun; can be modified by degree adverbs like 'deeply' or 'permanently'.

The Lebanese city of Tyre, one of the oldest metropolises in the world, has been left scarred.

The New York Times· 11 Sept 2026
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated