# trauma

/ˈtɹɔmə/ (US) · /tɹˈɔːmɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/trauma
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. emotional wound

noun · CEFR B2

a very upsetting or scary experience that causes long-term mental or emotional pain.

For teachers: a psychological injury resulting from a deeply distressing or life-threatening event. Often uncountable when referring to the state of mind, but countable when referring to specific incidents.

- It took her many years to recover from the trauma of the accident.
- Childhood trauma can have profound effects on adult relationships if the underlying emotional wounds are not addressed through professional therapy.

### 2. physical injury

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a serious physical injury to the body, usually caused by an accident or violence.

For teachers: severe physical injury caused by an external source. Frequently used in medical contexts to describe the physical damage itself.

- The hospital has a special unit for patients with severe head trauma.
- The emergency room team was prepared to treat multiple blunt force traumas following the multi-vehicle collision on the highway.

### 3. a distressing event

noun · CEFR B2

an event that is very difficult, stressful, or unpleasant to deal with.

For teachers: an event or experience that causes significant distress or upheaval. Often used more broadly in non-clinical contexts to describe any major negative life event.

- Moving house can be a real trauma for some people.
- The sudden closure of the factory was a trauma for the entire town, as hundreds of families lost their primary source of income overnight.

## Examples

- The accident caused her a lot of emotional trauma.
- After surviving the earthquake, many residents needed therapy to help them process the trauma of losing their homes.
- The novel explores how generational trauma shapes family dynamics, illustrating that unhealed psychological wounds can be passed down long after the initial conflict ends.

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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.