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wound someone emotionally
/waʊnd sʌmˈwʌn ɪˈmoʊʃənəli/
cause deep emotional pain
His harsh words wounded her emotionally.
His words caused her deep emotional pain.
informal
To cause someone deep emotional pain or distress, often through words or actions that hurt their feelings or sense of self-worth.
The breakup wounded him emotionally for years.
The breakup caused him deep emotional pain that lasted for years.
She felt emotionally wounded by the criticism.
She felt deeply hurt by the criticism.
This phrase is often used to describe the lingering effects of emotional pain, similar to how a physical wound takes time to heal.
Collocations
wound deeplycause significant emotional painemotional woundsdeep emotional pain or trauma
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Usage Context
This phrase is often used in personal or interpersonal contexts to describe the impact of words or actions that cause deep emotional pain.
Gold Rule
Avoid Overuse
While this phrase is powerful, avoid overusing it for minor emotional discomforts, as it implies significant pain.
Word Origin
The phrase combines the verb 'wound' (meaning to cause physical injury) with the adjective 'emotionally' to describe deep emotional pain, drawing a parallel between physical and emotional injury.
Usage Notes
This phrase is commonly used in informal contexts to describe the lasting impact of emotional pain. It is often used metaphorically to emphasize the severity of the emotional hurt.
Word Breakdown
wound
to cause injury or pain
verbemotionally
relating to feelings or emotions
adverbEnglish Dictionary