Hurt vs Wound

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Hurt

Top 1,000 (very common) A2 verb

Wound

Top 2,000 (common) B2 noun

Most common: Hurt

	Hurt	Wound
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/hɜːt/","/hɜːts/","/ˈhɜːtɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/hɜːrt/","/hɜːrts/","/ˈhɜːrtɪŋ/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/wuːnd/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/wuːnd/"]/
Meaning	to cause pain or damage to someone or something	An injury to the body, often involving a break in the skin.
Example	I accidentally hurt my knee while playing soccer.	The soldier received a serious wound during the battle.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR level	A2	B2
Part of speech	verb	noun
Collocations	badly, seriously, actually, badly, a lot, really, be going to, begin to, badly, deeply, really, attempt to, try to, want to	deep, serious, severe, inflict, receive, suffer, close, heal, bleed, care, healing, wound in, wound to
Antonyms	heal, comfort, soothe	heal, cure
Common mistakes	Confused with 'hurted' instead of 'hurt', Using 'hurt' as a noun instead of a verb, Mixing up 'hurt' with 'harmed' in contexts where they don't mean the same	Confused with 'wound' as in past tense of 'wind'., Using 'wound' instead of 'injury' in non-medical contexts., Mispronouncing it as 'hownd' instead of 'woond'.
Usage notes	Use 'hurt' when talking about physical or emotional pain. It can be used in both formal and informal contexts but avoid it in overly formal writing. Saying someone 'hurt my feelings' is common.	Used in both formal and informal contexts. More common in medical situations or when talking about injuries. Avoid using it lightly, as it can sound serious.

See it in real clips

My feet hurt.

Sherlock › S1 E1

You're dying, but there's still time to hurt you.

The Pitt › S1 E1

Hurt them how?

My feet hurt.

Sherlock › S1 E1

You're dying, but there's still time to hurt you.

Hurt

Wade, you got an exit wound.

A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms › S1 E1

We've forgotten men who reaped much more than a wound.

Wade, you got an exit wound.

A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms › S1 E1

We've forgotten men who reaped much more than a wound.

Wound

Frequently asked questions: Hurt vs Wound

What's the difference between Hurt and Wound?

Hurt: to cause pain or damage to someone or something Wound: An injury to the body, often involving a break in the skin.

Which is more common: Hurt and Wound?

Hurt is the most common in everyday English.

Which is more advanced: Hurt and Wound?

Wound is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.

Are Hurt and Wound the same CEFR level?

Hurt: A2, Wound: B2 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Hurt and Wound?

Hurt: verb, Wound: noun.

Can you show an example of each?

Hurt: I accidentally hurt my knee while playing soccer. Wound: The soldier received a serious wound during the battle.

Can I use Hurt and Wound interchangeably?

Not always. Hurt and Wound are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.