scarred
B2Neutral to formal; common in written narratives, journalism, psychological discourse, and descriptive prose.
Definition
Meaning
Marked with a scar or scars; bearing lasting physical or psychological marks from injury or trauma.
Used metaphorically to describe lasting negative effects on landscapes (e.g., scarred hillside), organizations, or personal psyches from difficult experiences.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily denotes a permanent, visible mark. The metaphorical use implies damage that is deep, lasting, and often negatively affects appearance or function.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. Slight preference in UK English for 'scarred' in historical/landscape contexts (e.g., 'scarred by mining').
Connotations
Equally strong connotations of permanence and damage in both varieties.
Frequency
Comparably frequent. The adjective 'scarred' is more common than the verb 'to scar' in general usage.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] is/was scarred[Subject] is/was scarred by [Agent/Event][Subject] emerged scarred from [Event]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “scarred for life”
- “bear the scars of”
- “the scars of war”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possibly in metaphors about company reputation ('scarred by the scandal').
Academic
Common in history, geography (landscapes), psychology, and medical literature.
Everyday
Common for discussing physical injuries or deep emotional experiences.
Technical
Medical term for healed wound tissue; geological term for landscape features.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The acid attack scarred her face permanently.
- His childhood experiences scarred him deeply.
American English
- The fire scarred the beautiful redwood forest.
- That betrayal scarred their relationship for years.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He fell off his bike and now has a scarred knee.
- The old table is scarred from many years of use.
- She was emotionally scarred by the accident.
- The mountainside was scarred by the mining operation.
- A generation was scarred by the economic depression.
- The city's architecture remains scarred by the bombing raids.
- His psyche was indelibly scarred by the years of conflict, leaving him with a profound distrust of authority.
- The treaty aimed to heal politically scarred relations between the two nations.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a SCAR on a knight's ARMOUR. The armour is SCARRED. Both words have 'AR' repeated.
Conceptual Metaphor
PAST TRAUMA IS A PHYSICAL SCAR / EXPERIENCES LEAVE MARKS ON THE SELF.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'шрам' (the noun for scar). 'Scarred' is the adjective/participle ('имеющий шрамы', 'израненный', 'испорченный'). Avoid using it for temporary marks or minor damage.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'scarred' for temporary conditions (e.g., 'scarred by a bad day'). Overusing the metaphorical sense. Confusing 'scarred' (adj.) with 'scared' (adj. = frightened).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'scarred' metaphorically?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is very commonly used for psychological or emotional damage (e.g., 'emotionally scarred').
'Scarred' means marked with scars. 'Scared' means frightened. They are different words with different pronunciations and meanings.
Yes, this is a standard metaphorical use. E.g., 'a landscape scarred by deforestation'.
Overwhelmingly negative. It implies lasting damage, injury, or trauma.