wounded
B1neutral (used in both formal and informal contexts)
Definition
Meaning
Suffering from physical injury, especially by a weapon; damaged, hurt.
Emotionally or psychologically hurt; feeling pain from insult, rejection, or betrayal.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily the past participle/past tense of 'wound' (verb), but also functions as an adjective. Can describe physical or emotional states.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. Slightly more common in US media/political discourse referring to injured soldiers ('wounded veterans').
Connotations
In both varieties, 'wounded' for physical injury often implies a serious, deliberate injury (e.g., by weapon), whereas 'hurt' or 'injured' can be more general.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
be wounded (by sb/sth)get woundedhave woundedleave sb woundedVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “wounded pride”
- “lick one's wounds”
- “the walking wounded”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rarely used literally. Figuratively: 'wounded by the market crash', 'the company's wounded reputation'.
Academic
Used in historical/medical contexts: 'wounded in battle', 'treatment of the wounded'. In psychology: 'wounded psyche', 'inner child'.
Everyday
Common for physical injuries from accidents/violence and emotional hurt: 'He was wounded in the leg', 'She felt wounded by his remarks'.
Technical
Medical/military term for a person injured by external force, especially penetrating trauma.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The soldier was wounded by shrapnel during the patrol.
- His harsh critique wounded her deeply.
American English
- The officer was wounded in the line of duty.
- The team's defeat wounded their confidence.
adverb
British English
- N/A (woundedly is extremely rare)
American English
- N/A (woundedly is extremely rare)
adjective
British English
- The wounded hiker was airlifted to hospital.
- She gave him a wounded look after the argument.
American English
- Wounded veterans received special honors.
- His wounded expression showed how much the criticism stung.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He fell and wounded his knee.
- The cat looked wounded after we shouted.
- Several people were wounded in the accident.
- She felt wounded when her friend forgot her birthday.
- The critically wounded patient required immediate surgery.
- His wounded pride prevented him from apologising.
- The journalist was wounded while reporting from the conflict zone.
- The novel explores the wounded psyche of a war veteran.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'wound' (an injury) + 'ed'. Sounds like 'woon-ded' - imagine someone going 'woo...' in pain after being injured.
Conceptual Metaphor
EMOTIONAL PAIN IS PHYSICAL INJURY ('wounded feelings'), FAILURE/DEFEAT IS INJURY ('wounded pride').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Not synonymous with generic 'раненый' for minor scrapes; implies more serious injury. 'Wounded pride' is 'уязвлённая гордость', not direct translation.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'wounded' for minor illness ('I feel wounded' = serious injury, not a cold). Confusing with 'wound' (to twist) past tense 'wound' /waʊnd/.
Practice
Quiz
Which context is LEAST appropriate for 'wounded'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Typically yes, especially for physical use. For minor injuries, 'hurt' or 'injured' is more common.
Figuratively, yes (e.g., 'wounded reputation'), but not literally for inanimate objects.
'Wounded' often implies a deliberate, penetrating injury (e.g., bullet, knife), while 'injured' covers any physical harm.
It's neutral. Appropriate in medical reports ('the wounded') and everyday speech ('I felt wounded').
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