1
: a sudden or violent twist or wrench of a joint with stretching or tearing of ligaments
2
: a sprained condition
sprained; spraining; sprains
: to injure by a sudden or severe twist
Examples of sprain in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 1 Feb. 2025
The Cavaliers are without Darius Garland (rest), Caris LeVert (right wrist sprain), Isaac Okoro (right shoulder sprain), JT Thor (G League), Luke Travers (G League) and Dean Wade (right knee bone bruise) for Wednesday’s game in Miami.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2025
Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 30 Jan. 2025
Zoom in: Among those convicted under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act and pardoned by Trump was Lauren Handy, 31, who was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for leading the blockade that prosecutors said resulted in a nurse spraining her ankle.
—Rebecca Falconer, Axios, 24 Jan. 2025
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Noun
Cam Johnson, who hasn’t played since Jan. 21 because of a right ankle sprain, remains day-to-day.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 1 Feb. 2025
The Cavaliers are without Darius Garland (rest), Caris LeVert (right wrist sprain), Isaac Okoro (right shoulder sprain), JT Thor (G League), Luke Travers (G League) and Dean Wade (right knee bone bruise) for Wednesday’s game in Miami.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2025
Verb
Following a rough 104-83 loss to the Brooklyn Nets, the Charlotte Hornets announced LaMelo Ball will be re-evaluated in a week after spraining his ankle in Monday’s defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 30 Jan. 2025
Zoom in: Among those convicted under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act and pardoned by Trump was Lauren Handy, 31, who was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for leading the blockade that prosecutors said resulted in a nurse spraining her ankle.
—Rebecca Falconer, Axios, 24 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for sprain
Dictionary Entries Near sprain
Cite this Entry
“Sprain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sprain. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sprain
1 of 2 noun1
: a sudden or severe twisting of a joint with stretching or tearing of ligaments
2
: a condition that results from a sprain and is usually marked by pain and swelling
sprain
2 of 2 verb
: to injure by a sudden or severe twist
Medical Definition
sprain
1 of 2 noun
: a sudden or violent twist or wrench of a joint causing the stretching or tearing of ligaments and often rupture of blood vessels with hemorrhage into the tissues
also
: the condition resulting from a sprain that is usually marked by swelling, inflammation, hemorrhage, and discoloration compare strain entry 3 sense b
sprain
2 of 2 transitive verb
: to weaken (a joint or ligament) by sudden and violent twisting or wrenching : stretch (ligaments) injuriously without dislocation of the joint
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