to bruise
- verb
- /bruːz/
- Informal
- Sounds like he had his ego bruised and decided to go on a little power trip.
- bruise someone's feelings
When the Democrats win, their little egos might be bruised, but the majority of people do better, particularly marginalized people.
- When the Democrats win, their little egos might be bruised, but the majority of people do better, particularly marginalized people.
- That's the woman that creates confrontation, bruises his ego and makes him feel like he doesn't want to take any chances with her again.
Examples
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Anyway, it was my ego that was bruised, not my face.
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Yeah, your ego might get bruised a little bit, but the outcome could be amazing.
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I think Andrea's going to come to work Monday morning a little bruised.
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Yet his outburst deserves careful attention, for it reflects the bruised feelings of an older generation of Catholic leaders.
Academic text (2005) -
Trey suspected they had argued after he left the supper table and that the bruised feelings had lingered all night.
Fiction book (1997) -
His harsh words really bruised her feelings during the meeting.
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She apologized for the comment that bruised his pride.
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Criticism can easily bruise someone's ego if not delivered carefully.
Synonyms
Make someone suffer physical or emotional pain
To say or do something rude to someone
Cause a person to feel hurt, upset and angry because of your words or actions
To hurt a person's feelings deeply
To say rude or insulting words to someone to hurt them
To deliberately hurt or annoy someone to upset them
To deeply hurt someone's feelings
To make someone feel embarrassed and less confident
Antonyms
How Hurtful
Surface Forms
Etymology
A helpful way to remember the emotional use of bruise is this: it comes from the old word brusan meaning 'to crush', so an unkind word can 'crush' someone's pride and leave a 'bruise' on their feelings.