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Synonyms

wounded

American  
[woon-did] / ˈwun dɪd /

adjective

  1. suffering injury or bodily harm, as a laceration or bullet wound.

    to bandage a wounded hand.

  2. marred; damaged; impaired.

    a wounded reputation.

noun

  1. Usually the wounded wounded persons collectively.

    to treat the wounded.
wounded British  
/ ˈwuːndɪd /

adjective

    1. suffering from wounds; injured, esp in a battle or fight

    2. ( as collective noun; preceded by the )

      the wounded

  2. (of feelings) damaged or hurt

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • self-wounded adjective
  • unwounded adjective

Etymology

Origin of wounded

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English gewundode; wound 1, -ed 2

Vocabulary lists containing wounded

Chief Joseph's Words to Washington D.C. (1879)

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“That can’t be possible,” says the wounded tech bro, adding an Apple-flavored coda: “I think different.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Certainly, Iran emerges from this war gravely wounded, but far from extinguished as a regional power.

From Slate • Apr. 8, 2026

He told reporters the operation to retrieve the wounded officer from “one of the toughest areas in Iran” was possible with a mix of “talent” and “luck.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

On Sunday, US President Donald Trump said on social media: "We have rescued the seriously wounded, and really brave, F-15 Crew Member/Officer, from deep inside the mountains of Iran."

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026

If I have wounded your sister’s feelings, it was unknowingly done and though the motives which governed me may to you very naturally appear insufficient, I have not yet learnt to condemn them.

From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.