Cool MateInjure vs They hurt you vs Wound
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Injure
Top 2,000 (common)B1verb
They hurt you
Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Wound
Top 2,000 (common)B2noun
| Injure | They hurt you | Wound | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈɪndʒə(r)/","/ˈɪndʒəz/","/ˈɪndʒəd/","/ˈɪndʒərɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈɪndʒər/","/ˈɪndʒərz/","/ˈɪndʒərd/","/ˈɪndʒərɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ðeɪ hɜːt juː//🇺🇸 //ðeɪ hɜrt ju// | 🇬🇧 /["/wuːnd/"]/🇺🇸 /["/wuːnd/"]/ |
| Meaning | to hurt someone or something | To cause you physical or emotional pain. | An injury to the body, often involving a break in the skin. |
| Example | He didn't mean to injure his friend during the game. | They hurt you when they ignored your feelings. | The soldier received a serious wound during the battle. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B1 | - | B2 |
| Part of speech | verb | noun | |
| Collocations | badly, seriously, severely, seriously, severely, be likely to | hurt someone's feelings, hurt deeply, they hurt each other | deep, serious, severe, inflict, receive, suffer, close, heal, bleed, care, healing, wound in, wound to |
| Antonyms | heal, protect, repair | - | heal, cure |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'harm' — 'injure' specifically refers to physical damage., Using 'injure' with non-physical subjects (e.g., 'injure feelings')., Mixing up 'injure' with 'injury' — one is a verb and the other is a noun. | Using 'hurted' instead of 'hurt' as the past tense., Confusing with 'hurt' meaning injury with 'hurt' as in emotional pain., Not clarifying who 'they' is in conversations. | 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 in contexts related to physical harm. Avoid in casual conversations unless discussing sports or accidents. | Commonly used to describe emotional or physical pain. Avoid in formal contexts; consider alternatives for sensitive discussions. | 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. |
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Frequently asked questions: Injure vs They hurt you vs Wound
What's the difference between Injure, They hurt you, and Wound?
Injure: to hurt someone or something They hurt you: To cause you physical or emotional pain. Wound: An injury to the body, often involving a break in the skin.
Which is more advanced: Injure, They hurt you, and Wound?
Wound is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.
Can you show an example of each?
Injure: He didn't mean to injure his friend during the game. They hurt you: They hurt you when they ignored your feelings. Wound: The soldier received a serious wound during the battle.
Can I use Injure, They hurt you, and Wound interchangeably?
Not always. Injure, They hurt you, 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.