Impaled
/ɪmˈpeɪld/
verbC2past tense / past participle
Definition
Impaled means to be pierced or stuck through by something sharp and long, like a stick or a spear. It often describes a forceful action where the sharp object goes into and through the body or another object. This word is usually used in serious or strong contexts.
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See It in Action
To pierce or stab something with a pointed object
- •The hunter impaled the fish on his spear.
- •The knight was impaled by an enemy’s lance during the battle.
- •The arrow impaled the target and stayed there.
To be stuck or pierced through by something sharp
- •The balloon was impaled by a sharp thorn and popped.
- •The meat was impaled on a skewer for cooking.
- •The cactus spines impaled the hiker’s hand accidentally.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "impaled" like "stuck," but much stronger and more painful because something sharp goes through completely.
- ✓Picture a wooden stick going through a watermelon from one side to the other.
- ✓It's the feeling of being hurt badly by something sharp, like stepping on a nail.
- ✓Sounds like "im-PALED" → imagine a "pale" (light) stick suddenly going inside something.
- ✓In stories or movies, knights or warriors might get impaled by spears during battles.
- ✓NOT like "cut" (only a surface wound), impaled means something goes deep inside and stays through.
- ✓NOT like "punctured" (small hole), impaled means a larger, more serious stabbing.
- ✓NOT like "stabbed" (can be quick or shallow), impaled usually means the object stays inside or goes fully through.
Try Other Words
- •Pierced: to make a hole by pushing a sharp object through (Use when the focus is on making a hole, not necessarily the object staying inside)
- •Stabbed: to push a sharp object quickly into something or someone (Use when the action is quick or violent, but not always with the object remaining inside)
- •Skewered: to pierce with a long thin object, often for cooking (Use when talking about food or objects pierced for holding or cooking)
Unboxing
- •Prefix: "im-" means "in" or "into"
- •Root: "pale" comes from Latin "palus" meaning "stake" or "pole"
- •Etymology: From Latin "impalare" meaning to fix on a stake or pierce with a sharp stick
- •Historical development: Originally used for piercing or fixing something on a stake, often in old punishments or hunting
- •Modern usage: Used to describe piercing sharply in many contexts, including injury, cooking, or accidents
Reflect & Connect
•How does the word "impaled" change the feeling or intensity of a story compared to just saying "hurt" or "stabbed"?
•Can "impaled" be used in peaceful or everyday situations, or is it always strong and serious? Why?
Fill in the blanks
1.The warrior was impaled ___ a sharp spear during the battle, causing serious injury.
2.When cooking, the chef impaled the meat ___ a long metal skewer to hold it in place.
3.The balloon popped because it was impaled ___ a tiny thorn on the branch.
4.Unlike being cut, being impaled means the object goes ___ the body or thing, not just the surface.
5.The fish was impaled ___ the fishing hook before being pulled from the water.
6.After being impaled, the object often stays ___ the wound or hole until removed.
7.The difference between stabbed and impaled is that impaled usually means the sharp object goes ___ and stays inside.