wounded
Definition
Meaning: Wounded means physically injured, especially by a weapon, or emotionally hurt or offended.
La signification : Wounded signifie « blessé », que ce soit physiquement (par une arme ou un accident), ou émotionnellement (par des paroles ou des actions).
Example: "He was badly wounded in the battle."
Grammar: Past participle of the verb "to wound". Can be used as an adjective or in passive structures (e.g., “He was wounded.”).
Quote: "The most deeply wounded hearts often hide behind the brightest smiles." [Anonymous]
Word Analysis
French equivalents »» Blessé »» Touché (émotionnellement) »» Meurtri Ⓐ Il a été grièvement blessé pendant le conflit. Ⓑ Elle se sentait profondément meurtrie par ses paroles. English equivalents »» Hurt »» Injured »» Traumatized Ⓐ The soldier returned home, wounded but alive. Ⓑ He looked wounded by her rejection, even if he didn’t say it.
Dialogue
Anna: "He didn’t come to the party. Any idea why?"
Ben: "I think he’s still wounded by what you said last week."
Anna: "Oh no... I didn’t mean to hurt him. I should talk to him."
Poem Extract
Palestinian Streets
My city’s streets are nameless.
If a Palestinian gets killed by a sniper or a drone,
we name the street after them.
Children learn their numbers best
when they can count how many homes or schools
were destroyed, how many mothers and fathers
were wounded or thrown into jail.
Grownups in Palestine use their IDs only
so as not to forget
who they are.
Mosab Abu Toha
Read the Full Poem
Etymology
Origin: The word wounded comes from Old English wundian, meaning “to injure physically,” and is related to Proto-Germanic roots. The noun wound has even older roots in Germanic and Indo-European languages. The past participle form wounded has been used since Middle English.
Modern Usage: Used both literally (injured physically) and figuratively (emotionally hurt or offended) across everyday speech, news, and literature.
Grammar Note: Wounded functions as a past participle adjective. It describes a person or animal that has been harmed (e.g., “a wounded soldier”).
Audience
Wounded is widely understood in both formal and informal English, used in medical, military, emotional, and poetic contexts.
When to use: Use it to describe someone physically injured or emotionally hurt. Example: “She looked at him with wounded eyes, full of pain.”
Extra! Extra!
For a fun and engaging exploration of our word of the day, watch the following…Wound vs. wound
How to pronounce wound and wound
WordReference
For more on idiomatic usage, visit the WordReference Forums for discussions, translations, and examples in context.
Here are some quick links for further exploration:
» English⇄English – Discuss and learn about words and their usage.
» English⇄French – Explore translations and linguistic nuances.
» Synonyms⇄Antonyms – Contextual variations, etc.
Common Idioms & Expressions Related to "Wounded"
Rub salt in the wound
To make someone’s pain or humiliation worse.
Example: "Losing the match was bad enough—his mockery just rubbed salt in the wound."
Old wounds take time to heal
Emotional pain or trauma can linger for a long time.
Example: "She still avoids talking to her ex—old wounds take time to heal."
Reopen old wounds
To bring up past trauma or conflict that causes pain again.
Example: "Mentioning the accident just reopened old wounds."
Wounded pride
A feeling of hurt or humiliation due to loss of dignity.
Example: "His wounded pride kept him from apologising."
Lick one’s wounds
To take time to recover after a defeat or setback.
Example: "After the breakup, he stayed home to lick his wounds."
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