unhealed

Meanings

1. 1adjectivecomparablemedical

   Describing a wound, bone or other injury that has not recovered or closed.

   Grammar: Used before a noun or after remain: an unhealed fracture.

   Patterns

   • remain unhealed

   The unhealed cut opened again when he lifted the box.

   An unhealed fracture can cause pain for months.

   Her burn stayed unhealed for weeks.

2. 2adjectivecomparablefigurative

   Describing emotional pain or a conflict that has not been resolved, even after a long time.

   Grammar: Often figurative: unhealed wounds of the past.

   Patterns

   • unhealed wounds

   The family carried unhealed grief for years.

   Unhealed divisions kept the town split after the war.

   He admitted that the unhealed hurt still shaped his choices.

Common combinations

unhealed wound

The unhealed wound needed another bandage.

unhealed trauma

Unhealed trauma can affect relationships.

unhealed fracture

The unhealed fracture meant no sport this term.

remain unhealed

The breach between the brothers remained unhealed.

unhealed grief

Unhealed grief surfaced at the anniversary.

Synonyms and how they differ

open

This stresses that a wound is not closed, while unhealed also covers one that is closed but not recovered.

raw

This suggests a painful, fresh wound or feeling and is more vivid than unhealed.

unresolved

This fits conflicts and problems, but it is not used for physical injuries.

lingering

This means continuing for a long time, without saying anything about recovery.

Opposites

Word family

heal verb

to become healthy again, or to make healthy

healed adjective

recovered or closed up

healing noun

the process of getting better

healer noun

a person who helps others recover

Commonly confused: unhealed or unhealthy?

Practice

Make it your own

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

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