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.

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  • Repeat the pronunciation slowly?
  • Give you some example sentences to practice with?

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:

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  • 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.

Practice with vocabulary injury

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks

  1. The professional cyclist had to withdraw from the race due to a persistent knee ________.
  2. Workplace safety protocols are crucial for preventing serious ________ among factory workers.
  3. The city council estimated that the recent flooding caused extensive ________ to public infrastructure.
  4. After the surgical procedure, the patient was carefully monitored for any signs of infection or complications from the ________ site.

Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer (There may be multiple correct answers per question)

  1. The athlete's career was jeopardized by a severe ligament ________. A) injury B) benefit C) improvement D) achievement

  2. Which of the following words can be used to describe physical harm to a body part? A) Injury B) Sprain C) Bruise D) Benefit

  3. Wearing a helmet during cycling significantly reduces the risk of head ________. A) injury B) discomfort C) trauma D) ache

  4. The project faced a significant ________ due to unexpected technical difficulties. A) advancement B) setback C) hindrance D) accomplishment

  5. Over time, the building's structural integrity showed signs of serious ________. A) improvement B) deterioration C) decline D) renovation

Exercise 3: Rewrite the sentences

  1. The player hurt his hamstring during the intensive training session. Rewrite: The player sustained a hamstring ________ during the intensive training session.

  2. The company had to pay compensation because of the harm caused to employees in the accident. Rewrite: The company had to pay compensation for the ________ suffered by employees in the accident.

  3. The scandal caused severe harm to the politician's public image. Rewrite: The scandal caused severe ________ to the politician's public image.

Answer:

Exercise 1:

  1. injury
  2. injury
  3. damage
  4. wound

Exercise 2:

  1. A) injury
  2. A) Injury, B) Sprain, C) Bruise
  3. A) injury, C) trauma
  4. B) setback, C) hindrance
  5. B) deterioration, C) decline

Exercise 3:

  1. The player sustained a hamstring injury during the intensive training session.
  2. The company had to pay compensation for the injuries suffered by employees in the accident.
  3. The scandal caused severe damage to the politician's public image.

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