VocabularyBasePractice words

Meaning & use

blunt force injuries

noun·Advancedmedicallaw

Last updated

UK/ˌblʌnt ˈfɔːs ˌɪndʒəriz/
US/ˌblʌnt ˈfɔːrs ˌɪndʒəriz/

Meaning

  1. nounpluralmedicallaw

    Physical damage to the body caused by a dull object or surface hitting it, without cutting or piercing the skin.

    Grammar: Plural noun phrase; the singular is 'blunt force injury'. Often used after 'from' or 'due to'.

    Patterns

    • blunt force injuries to something
    • die from blunt force injuries
    • suffer blunt force injuries

    The patient was treated for blunt force injuries to the chest.

    The report said the cause of death was blunt force injuries.

    Workers can suffer blunt force injuries when heavy objects fall.

Word forms

singularblunt force injury

Common combinations

blunt force injuries to the head
The cyclist suffered blunt force injuries to the head.
die from blunt force injuries
The coroner concluded that the man died from blunt force injuries.
suffer blunt force injuries
Passengers suffered blunt force injuries in the crash.
multiple blunt force injuries
The examination revealed multiple blunt force injuries.

Synonyms and how they differ

blunt trauma
A medical term for the same type of damage, often used for a single serious injury; 'blunt force injuries' is more common in legal and autopsy reports.
contusion
A bruise, which is one specific result of blunt force; it does not cover broken bones or internal damage.

Opposites

sharp force injuriespenetrating injuries

Word family

blunt adjective
Not sharp; used of objects that can cause this kind of injury.
bluntly adverb
In a direct, plain way; not related to injury.

Commonly confused: blunt force injuries or blunt force trauma?

blunt force injuries vs blunt force trauma

This is a closely related medical phrase, but 'trauma' can also mean the body's reaction to a serious event, while 'injuries' refers only to the physical damage.

Practice

Which sentence uses the phrase correctly?

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “blunt force injuries”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.

Explore more words