Maul vs Wound

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

Maul

Beyond 10,000 (less common)

Wound

Top 2,000 (common) B2 noun

Most common: Wound

	Maul	Wound
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //mɔːl// 🇺🇸 //mɔl//	🇬🇧 /["/wuːnd/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/wuːnd/"]/
Meaning	To injure someone badly by attacking them.	An injury to the body, often involving a break in the skin.
Example	The lion began to maul its prey as the crowd watched in horror.	The soldier received a serious wound during the battle.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Beyond 10,000 (less common)	Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR level	-	B2
Part of speech		noun
Collocations	maul by a dog, maul a victim, seriously maul, maul to death, mauling incident	deep, serious, severe, inflict, receive, suffer, close, heal, bleed, care, healing, wound in, wound to
Antonyms	-	heal, cure
Common mistakes	Confused with 'mull' (to think over), Using 'maul' when referring to gentle play instead of harm., Incorrect tense usage, e.g., 'mauls' instead of 'mauling'.	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	Used primarily in contexts involving animals or physical attacks. Avoid in formal writing; instead use 'attack' or 'assault'.	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

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: Maul vs Wound

What's the difference between Maul and Wound?

Maul: To injure someone badly by attacking them. Wound: An injury to the body, often involving a break in the skin.

Which is more common: Maul and Wound?

Wound is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Maul: The lion began to maul its prey as the crowd watched in horror. Wound: The soldier received a serious wound during the battle.

Can I use Maul and Wound interchangeably?

Not always. Maul 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.