wounded/injured

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1
  1. Many people were wounded in the rail accident.
  2. Many people were injured in the rail accident.
    Can we use these sentences interchangeably?
2

Although it is not totally unacceptable in this context (wound and injury are often synonymous), ‘wounded’ is particularly used when talking about an injury received in some sort of fight or battle.
I would not choose to use it here, but would not have a problem if someone did.

3

Hi,

Interestingly enough after an accident such as the one in your sentence, people hurt or injured who are able to leave the scene of the accident without help from rescuers are described as ‘the walking wounded’. Having said that, I would not use the verb ‘wound’ (wounded) in your sentence because it is a railway accident rather than a bomb explosion or the like. It would usually be the result of some forced violence.

Alan

4

Good.

5

Thanks. Sounds familiar!

6

In fact that “good” is fantastic.

Love & Peace :slight_smile:

7

Thanks again.

8

You are welcome, Alan. :smiley:

9

Good.

10

Yes, truly amazing that he agreed with everything I’d already said.

11

LoL! :smiley:

12

The four wounded players were taken to the hospital in the school van.
The four injured players were taken to the hospital in the school van.
In this context, which one ‘wounded’ or ‘injured’ is more appropriate?

13

Both are possible, but ‘wounded’ would imply that the injury was deliberate on the part of the other player(s).