Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Having the skin scraped or abraded, typically in a minor, superficial way: Describes a surface injury where the skin is broken or scraped off, often resulting from friction against a rough surface.
   • Touched or scraped lightly in passing: Can describe something that was lightly brushed against or contacted, often resulting in a minor mark or injury.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • She fell off her bike and has a grazed knee. (This describes the minor, scraped injury on her knee.)
  • The bullet grazed his shoulder, leaving a shallow wound. (This describes the injury resulting from a light, passing contact.)
  • He showed me his grazed elbow after the soccer match. (This specifies the body part with the superficial scrape.)

Advanced Usage

• Used to describe non-physical, metaphorical contact: While less common, it can describe a very light or tangential involvement.
  • His reputation was only grazed by the scandal, not seriously damaged. (This metaphorically suggests a minor, superficial impact.)

Variants and Related Words

• Graze (verb): To scrape or touch lightly in passing.
  • The car mirror grazed the wall as she parked.
• Grazing (noun): The action of grazing or a superficial wound.
  • The grazing on her arm was not deep.

Synonyms

• Scraped: Having the surface rubbed or worn away.
• Abrased: Worn or scraped away by friction.
• Scratched: Marked or cut superficially with a sharp object.

Antonyms

• Unscathed: Completely unharmed or uninjured.
• Intact: Not damaged or impaired in any way.

Related Phrases

• To graze past: To move past something while lightly touching it.
  • The bird grazed past the window.
• A grazing shot: A shot from a weapon that hits but does not penetrate deeply.
  • He survived because it was only a grazing shot.

Adjective

1. scraped or touched lightly in passing
   • his grazed and bleeding arm proved he had been in the line of fire