Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb bruise

4 senses of bruise

Sense 1
bruise, contuse -- (injure the underlying soft tissue or bone of; "I bruised my knee")
       => injure, wound -- (cause injuries or bodily harm to)

Sense 2
hurt, wound, injure, bruise, offend, spite -- (hurt the feelings of; "She hurt me when she did not include me among her guests"; "This remark really bruised my ego")
       => arouse, elicit, enkindle, kindle, evoke, fire, raise, provoke -- (call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses); "arouse pity"; "raise a smile"; "evoke sympathy")

Sense 3
bruise -- (break up into small pieces for food preparation; "bruise the berries with a wooden spoon and strain them")
       => crush -- (break into small pieces; "The car crushed the toy")

Sense 4
bruise -- (damage (plant tissue) by abrasion or pressure; "The customer bruised the strawberries by squeezing them")
       => damage -- (inflict damage upon; "The snow damaged the roof"; "She damaged the car when she hit the tree")

Antonyms of adj bruising

2 senses of bruising

Sense 1
bruising -- (causing mental or emotional injury; "a bruising experience"; "protected from the bruising facts of battle"- John Mason Brown)

INDIRECT (VIA harmful) -> harmless -- (not causing or capable of causing harm; "harmless bacteria"; "rendered the bomb harmless")

Sense 2
bruising -- (brutally forceful and compelling; "protected from the bruising facts of battle")

INDIRECT (VIA forceful) -> forceless, unforceful -- (lacking force; feeble; "a forceless argument")

Similarity of adj bruising

2 senses of bruising

Sense 1
bruising -- (causing mental or emotional injury; "a bruising experience"; "protected from the bruising facts of battle"- John Mason Brown)
       => harmful (vs. harmless) -- (causing or capable of causing harm; "too much sun is harmful to the skin"; "harmful effects of smoking")

Sense 2
bruising -- (brutally forceful and compelling; "protected from the bruising facts of battle")
       => forceful (vs. forceless) -- (characterized by or full of force or strength (often but not necessarily physical); "a forceful speaker"; "a forceful personality"; "forceful measures"; "a forceful plan for peace")