What is injury? Pronunciation and usage in English

injury means . Learn how to pronounce and use injury through vivid examples and easy-to-understand exercises.

Definition & pronunciation of injury

injurynoun

/ˈɪn(d)ʒ(ə)ri/
Definition & pronunciation of injury

Okay, let's break down how to pronounce "injury." It can be tricky for some English learners! Here's a breakdown:

The most common and generally accepted pronunciation is:

  • /ˈɪn.ʒə.ri/ (Stress on the first syllable)

Let's break that down further:

  • ˈɪn - This sounds like "in" as in "in a box." It’s a short, crisp “in.”
  • ʒə - This is the tricky part! This sound is a combination of both "j" and "s" blended together. Think of it as a soft “zh” sound, like in the word "measure" or "vision." It's not a hard "j" like in "jump."
  • ri - This sounds like "ree" as in "tree."

Putting it together, it’s approximately: "In-zhur-ee" (with a bit of a quick “zh” sound in the middle)

Here are some resources to help you hear it:

  • Google Search: Simply search "how to pronounce injury" on Google and it will usually offer audio playback.
  • Forvo: https://forvo.com/word/%25injury%25/ - This website allows you to hear pronunciations from native speakers from various regions.
  • Youglish: https://youglish.com/w/injury - This shows you how the word is pronounced in real-life videos.

Important Note: There can be slight regional variations in pronunciation, but the /ˈɪn.ʒə.ri/ pronunciation is the most widely understood and used.

Would you like me to:

  • Repeat the pronunciation slowly?
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Usage and examples with the word injury in English

Let's break down how to use the word "injury" in English. It's a versatile word with several nuances. Here's a detailed explanation, categorized for clarity:

1. Basic Definition: A Physical Wound

  • Core Meaning: At its simplest, "injury" refers to a physical harm or wound to the body.
  • Examples:
    • "He suffered a serious injury to his leg in the accident."
    • "She has a small injury on her knee from falling."
    • "The doctor examined the injury and prescribed some pain medication."

2. Types of Injuries – Breaking it Down Further

  • Minor Injury: A small, usually superficial wound.
    • "I scraped my elbow – it’s just a minor injury."
  • Serious Injury: A significant wound or harm, often requiring medical attention.
    • "The soldier received a life-threatening injury during the battle."
  • Sports Injury: An injury sustained while playing sports.
    • "She’s been battling a recurring injury in her shoulder."
  • Work-Related Injury: An injury that happens while performing a job.
    • "The worker claimed a injury compensation for his back pain." (This is often referred to as “worker’s compensation”)
  • Brain Injury: An injury to the brain.
    • "The boxer suffered a concussion, a type of brain injury."
  • Soft Tissue Injury: An injury affecting muscles, tendons, ligaments, or skin – without breaking a bone.
    • "He sustained a soft tissue injury to his hamstring."

3. Using "Injury" as a Noun (as we’ve seen above)

  • Subject of a sentence: "The injury caused him a lot of pain."
  • Object of a verb: "She treated the injury with antiseptic."

4. Using “Injury” as a Verb (Less Common, but Important)

  • To injure: This means to cause harm or injury to someone or something. This is the most common usage as a verb.
  • Examples:
    • "He injured his ankle playing soccer."
    • "The storm injured several homes in the coastal area."
    • "Don’t injure yourself while moving the heavy box."

5. Related Words & Phrases

  • Injury rate: (statistic) – The number of injuries per a certain period or population. (e.g., “The injury rate in car accidents is increasing.”)
  • Treatment for injury: Medications, therapy, surgery – anything related to healing.
  • Recovery from injury: The process of getting better after an injury.
  • Cause of injury: What led to the injury occurring (e.g., "The cause of injury was a sudden loss of control.")

6. Formality

“Injury” is a generally formal word. In casual conversation, you might use words like "hurt," "wound," or "accident."

Tips for Using “Injury” Correctly:

  • Specificity: Try to be specific about what was injured (leg, knee, brain, etc.).
  • Severity: Use adjectives to describe the seriousness of the injury (minor, serious, severe).
  • Context: Consider the context of your writing or conversation. Is it a medical report, a news article, or a casual chat?

Resources for Further Learning:

To help me give you even more targeted advice, could you tell me:

  • What kind of writing are you working on (e.g., a medical report, a creative story, an email)?
  • Is there a specific sentence you're struggling with?

Synonyms for the word injury

Idioms of the word injury

add insult to injury
to make a bad relationship with somebody worse by offending them even more
  • Then, to add insult to injury, they told me I couldn't get on the flight.
  • It adds insult to injury that banks are allowed to increase their charges without our knowledge or consent.
  • Only 300 people came to the match and, to add insult to injury, the floodlights went out during the second half.

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