“Hurt” vs. “Injure”: What’s the Difference?

A line illustration of two people with their mouth open, and a giant question mark between them.

The difference between “hurt” and “injure”

  • "Hurt" can refer to physical or emotional pain or discomfort, while "injure" specifically refers to physical harm.
  • Injuries tend to be more severe than hurting.
  • "Hurt" is often used in a more general sense, while "injure" is more precise in describing the specific harm inflicted.
Communicate naturally with Engram AI proofreader

What is the definition of “hurt” and “injure”?

Hurt
  • "Hurt" means to cause physical or emotional pain or discomfort.
  • It can refer to a mild or severe form of pain.
  • The effects of "hurt" can vary from short-term to long-term.
Injure
  • "Injure" refers to harm or damage done to a person's body or well-being.
  • This damage can be physical or psychological but usually physical.
  • Injuries can range from minor to life-threatening.

Which is the more popular variant on the Internet?

“Hurt” is the more popular variant on the web.
More popular
Hurt
564,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. Accidentally hitting your thumb with a hammer can really hurt.
  2. She didn't mean to hurt his feelings; it was just an honest mistake.
  3. His back hurt so much that he had to cancel his plans for the day.
Injure
35,400,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. The car accident injured several passengers and caused severe damage.
  2. Running without proper stretching can easily injure your muscles.
  3. The football player was seriously injured and had to be carried off the field.
Want to express yourself confidently?
Engram AI proofreader helps you
communicate naturally
An illustration of a person writing freely on their laptop, using Engram.An illustration of a person writing freely on their laptop, using Engram.

Related articles