maim
1 of 2verb
transitive verb
maim
2 of 2noun
Synonyms
Verb
- cripple
- disable
- incapacitate
- lame
- mutilate
Example Sentences
Elvia Limón, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2022 Daemon is a ruthless warrior and an agent of chaos, whose idea of establishing law and order is to brutally maim (and, in one case, castrate) miscreants. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 22 Aug. 2022 No one has a right to maim or kill someone because our words offend them. Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2022 While government ministers signed the agreement in an ornate room in Istanbul, with their countries' flags lined up together, a few hundred miles away their troops continued to kill and maim each other. Arkansas Online, 23 July 2022 While government ministers signed the agreement in an ornate room in Istanbul, with their countries’ flags lined up together, a few hundred miles away their troops continued to kill and maim each other. BostonGlobe.com, 22 July 2022 While government ministers signed the agreement in an ornate room in Istanbul, with their countries’ flags lined up together, a few hundred miles away their troops continued to kill and maim each other. New York Times, 22 July 2022 Cluster munitions spread submunitions — small explosives called bomblets — over a wide area, and are intended to kill or maim personnel and destroy vehicles and equipment. Mac William Bishop, Rolling Stone, 12 June 2022 Anti-personnel land mines often kill and maim civilians long after hostilities have ended. Arkansas Online, 5 June 2022 Guillermo Contreras, San Antonio Express-News, 9 Dec. 2021 Hightower planned to contact inmates in other prisons in the state to carry out a plan to either kill, maim or severely injure Tiarks, according to court documents. Tracy Neal, Arkansas Online, 2 Aug. 2021 See More Word History
Verb and Noun
Middle English maymen, mahaymen, from Anglo-French maheimer, mahaigner — more at mayhem
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
maim
verb
Medical Definition
maim
transitive verb
Legal Definition
maim
transitive verb
maim
verb
Synonyms & Similar Words
- incapacitate
- cripple
- injure
- mutilate
- wound
- kill
- damage
- hurt
- disable
- scar
- bruise
- lame
- paralyze
- dismember
- disfigure
- hit
- maul
- mangle
- lacerate
- harm
- hobble
- murder
- beat
- impair
- bludgeon
- gore
- torture
- pummel
- hamstring
- lick
- wing
- smash
- kneecap
- batter
- slap
- punch
- smack
- pound
- hammer
- torment
- pelt
- spank
- bash
- bang
- whip
- whack
- thump
- flog
- bung up
- swat
- box
- lash
- thrash
- paste
- thwack
- belt
- swipe
- buffet
- drub
- sock
- pommel
- wallop
- break
- lace
- rough (up)
- lambaste
- lambast
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- heal
- rehabilitate
- cure
- remedy
- fix
- patch
- restore
- repair
- renew
- mend
- rejuvenate
- doctor
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of maim are batter, cripple, mangle, and mutilate. While all these words mean "to injure so severely as to cause lasting damage," maim implies the loss or injury of a bodily member through violence.
The words batter and maim are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, batter implies a series of blows that bruise deeply, deform, or mutilate.
The words cripple and maim can be used in similar contexts, but cripple implies the loss or serious impairment of an arm or leg.
In some situations, the words mangle and maim are roughly equivalent. However, mangle implies a tearing or crushing that leaves deep wounds.
Although the words mutilate and maim have much in common, mutilate implies the cutting off or removal of an essential part of a person or thing thereby impairing its completeness, beauty, or function.