bruising
Leaving dark marks
Bruising describes something harsh, damaging, or physically punishing: a bruising defeat, a bruising schedule, a bruising tackle.
The word suggests impact that leaves marks—literal or figurative.
A bruising battle may be won, but not without cost.
As a noun, bruising refers to the discoloration from damaged tissue: There was significant bruising around the eye.
Blood collected outside vessels
- swellingAbnormal tissue enlargement
- discolorationAltered surface pigmentation
- traumaLasting psychological wound
- inflammationProtective tissue response
tenderness · petechiae · edema · blackened · yellowing · mark · welt · bump
Combat sport using fists
- rugbyTeam sport with scrums
- footballField sport with goals
- hockeyStick-and-goal sport
- MMAHybrid combat sport
wrestling · kickboxing · lacrosse · martial-arts · sparring · tackle · body-check · ring
Tender, painful sensation
- tendernessGentle, caring quality
- achePersistent dull discomfort
- throbBeat with intensity
- sensitivityResponsiveness to stimuli
discomfort · throbbing · smarting · rawness · lingering · wincing · flinching · stiffness
Gradual loss of intensity
- yellowingBecoming pale gold-brown
- greenishSomewhat verdant-hued
- recoveryRegaining what was lost
- reabsorptionReclaiming filtered substances internally
clearing · mending · arnica · compress · rest · elevation · time · resolving
Forceful contact between objects
- blowMove air forcefully
- hitSuccessful contact or strike
- strikeForceful impact or stoppage
- bumpSlight collision or protrusion
knock · bang · fall · slam · crash · contact · force · jarring
hematoma
Blood collected outside vessels
- swellingAbnormal tissue enlargement
- discolorationAltered surface pigmentation
- traumaLasting psychological wound
inflammation · tenderness · petechiae · edema · blackened · yellowing · mark · welt · bump · knot
boxing
Combat sport using fists
MMA · wrestling · kickboxing · lacrosse · martial-arts · sparring · tackle · body-check · ring · bout
soreness
Tender, painful sensation
- tendernessGentle, caring quality
- achePersistent dull discomfort
- throbBeat with intensity
sensitivity · discomfort · throbbing · smarting · rawness · lingering · wincing · flinching · stiffness
fading
Gradual loss of intensity
reabsorption · clearing · mending · arnica · compress · rest · elevation · time · resolving · diminishing
collision
Forceful contact between objects
bump · knock · bang · fall · slam · crash · contact · force · jarring · jolt
purple
Hue between crimson and azure
green · mottled · discolored · darkened · angry · livid · blotchy · splotchy · multicolored · bluish
harsh
Unpleasantly severe or rough
- damagingCausing loss or injury
- punishingExtremely taxing or severe
- gruelingExtremely tiring and demanding
brutal · exhausting · draining · defeating · demoralizing · tough · difficult · taxing · wearing · hard-fought
- symptomsfever, headache, pain, nausea, rash
- body painache, aches, pain, pang, throb
- health effectsillness, disease, injury, harm, damage
- side effectsnausea, headache, dizziness, drowsiness, rash
- chemo side effectsnausea, vomiting, hair loss, fatigue, neuropathy
- tissue damagenecrosis, laceration, lesion, wound, burns
bruisinghealing
Restoration of health
soothing · comforting · nurturing · supportive · affirming
- cruising for a bruisingInviting inevitable harm
- easy bruisingTendency toward discoloration
- bruising upForming subcutaneous discoloration
bruise, bruised, bruises, bruiser, contusion, bruisers, unbruised, bruisable