1
: an isolated or protruding rock
2
: a steep rocky eminence : a bare place on the side of a mountain
1
: a mark remaining (as on the skin) after injured tissue has healed
2
: a mark left where something was previously attached : cicatrix sense 2
especially
: a mark left on a stem or branch where a leaf or fruit has separated
3
: a mark or indentation (as on furniture) resulting from damage or wear
4
: a lasting moral or emotional injury
one of his men had been killed … in a manner that left a scar upon his mind—
H. G. Wells
H. G. Wells
scarred; scarring
Synonyms
Examples of scar in a Sentence
Noun (1)
at the next bend in the river, a scar of red sandstone steeply rises to over 100 feet
Noun (2)
the scars left by carelessly scratching the car door with one's keys
Verb
His arm was badly scarred after the accident.
The tragedy left her emotionally scarred.
Your shoes are scarring the floor.
The fence was scarred by rust.
Recent Examples on the Web
Michael Menna, Verywell Health, 17 Jan. 2025
Officials are warning that the Los Angeles wildfires could cause devastating impacts long after they've been extinguished, particularly in how the burn scars respond to severe weather events.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
Daniele Volpe, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025
More broadly, Israel's security chiefs had been scarred by the disintegration of ceasefire and hostage talks at the 11th hour in previous rounds and were keen to move toward a comprehensive end to fighting, Tomer told Newsweek.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for scar 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Once new skin tissue forms, the wound closes and eventually forms a scar.
—Michael Menna, Verywell Health, 17 Jan. 2025
Officials are warning that the Los Angeles wildfires could cause devastating impacts long after they've been extinguished, particularly in how the burn scars respond to severe weather events.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
Guatemala, a small, impoverished nation scarred by a brutal civil war, has a substantial undocumented population in the United States.
—Daniele Volpe, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025
More broadly, Israel's security chiefs had been scarred by the disintegration of ceasefire and hostage talks at the 11th hour in previous rounds and were keen to move toward a comprehensive end to fighting, Tomer told Newsweek.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for scar
Dictionary Entries Near scar
Cite this Entry
“Scar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scar. Accessed 26 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
scar
1 of 2 noun1
: a mark left (as on the skin) after injured tissue has healed
2
: a mark on a stem or branch where a leaf or fruit has separated
3
: a mark (as on furniture) resembling a scar
4
: a lasting injury from a bad experience
scar
2 of 2 verb
scarred; scarring
1
: to mark with or form a scar
2
: to do lasting injury to
3
: to become scarred
Medical Definition
scar
1 of 2 noun1
: a mark left (as in the skin) by the healing of injured tissue
2
: a lasting emotional injury
psychological scars
scar
2 of 2 verb
scarred; scarring
: to mark with a scar
scarred heart valves
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share