wound
WOOND
Wound (noun) means an injury where the skin is cut, pierced, or torn. Example: “The deep wound on his knee needed several stitches.”
noun
1
An injury where the skin is cut, pierced, or torn.
"The deep wound on his knee needed several stitches."
"The nurse cleaned the wound before bandaging it."
"His war wound still ached in cold weather."
2
A hurt to someone's feelings or reputation.
"Years later, the unfair review remained a wound to her reputation."
"Being left out of the team photo was a small wound for him."
"The betrayal left a wound that never fully healed."
verb
1
To injure someone by cutting, piercing, or tearing the skin.
"He wounded his hand badly when the glass broke."
"The sharp thorn wounded her finger as she picked roses."
"The soldier was wounded in the leg."
2
To hurt someone's feelings.
"Her careless joke wounded him more than she realised."
"Try not to wound your friends with unkind words."
"His harsh comment wounded her pride."
How to use wound
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA physical injury, or an emotional hurt; also the verb form of causing either.
Common mistake
Note this "wound" (rhymes with "swooned") is a different word from the past tense of "wind" (rhymes with "found") — same spelling, unrelated meaning.
Common pairings
open wound
wounded pride
inflict a wound
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like wound.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- wounds
- Third person singular
- wounds
- Past tense
- wounded
- Archaic forms
- woundest, woundedst, woundeth
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The deep _____ on his knee needed several stitches.
Etymology
From Old English wund (noun) and wundian (verb), both from a common Germanic root.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for wound
See all rhymes for wound →Frequently asked questions
What does “wound” mean?
The word “wound” means an injury where the skin is cut, pierced, or torn. In plain terms, a physical injury, or an emotional hurt; also the verb form of causing either.
How do you pronounce “wound”?
“Wound” is pronounced WOOND (/ˈwuːnd/ in IPA).
How do you use “wound” in a sentence?
Here is “wound” used in a sentence: “The nurse cleaned the wound before bandaging it.”
What part of speech is “wound”?
Depending on how it is used, “wound” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “wound” come from?
The word “wound” comes from Old English. From Old English wund (noun) and wundian (verb), both from a common Germanic root.
Is “wound” a common word?
“Wound” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “wound” have?
“Wound” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an injury where the skin is cut, pierced, or torn.
What is the difference between a wound and an injury?
A wound is a specific type of injury in which the skin is cut, pierced, or torn, whereas 'injury' is a broader term covering any physical harm, including bruises, sprains, and broken bones where the skin may stay intact. Every wound is an injury, but not every injury is a wound.
What is the difference between 'wound' meaning an injury and 'wound' as the past tense of 'wind'?
They are two unrelated words that happen to be spelled the same (homographs). 'Wound' the injury rhymes with 'moon', while 'wound', the past tense of the verb 'wind' as in winding a clock, rhymes with 'found'; the surrounding context tells you which one is meant.
What is the difference between a wound and a scar?
A wound is a fresh injury where the skin is cut, pierced, or torn, while a scar is the mark left on the skin after a wound has healed. In other words, a scar is what may remain once a wound closes over.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include wound:
