Standard Lemma guide

inject

verb · 13 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ɪnˈd͡ʒɛkt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛkt
  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 N JH EH1 K T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To push or pump (something, especially fluids) into a cavity or passage.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The nurse injected a painkilling drug into the veins of my forearm.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To introduce (something) suddenly or violently.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • Punk injected a much-needed sense of urgency into the British music scene.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To administer an injection to (someone or something), especially of medicine or drugs.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • Now lie back while we inject you with the anesthetic.
  • to inject the blood vessels

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To take or be administered something by means of injection, especially medicine or drugs.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • It's been a week since I stopped injecting, and I'm still in withdrawal.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To introduce (code) into an existing program or its memory space, often without tight integration and sometimes through a security vulnerability.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To cast or throw; used with on.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To introduce or add (something that is different or foreign).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • inject something into orbit
  • inject some spice into my life

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

give an injection to

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • We injected the glucose into the patient's vein

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: shoot

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: administer, dispense

Narrower terms: infuse, immunize, immunise, inoculate, vaccinate

9

verb

Meaning 9

to introduce (a new aspect or element)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He injected new life into the performance

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: add

10

verb

Meaning 10

to insert between other elements

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She interjected clever remarks

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: interject, come in, interpose, put in, throw in

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: interrupt, disrupt, break up, cut off

11

verb

Meaning 11

feed intravenously

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: feed, give

12

verb

Meaning 12

take by injection

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • inject heroin

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: drug, do drugs

Narrower terms: mainline, pop

13

verb

Meaning 13

force or drive (a fluid or gas) into by piercing

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • inject hydrogen into the balloon

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: shoot

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: insert, enclose, inclose, stick in, put in, introduce

History

Etymology

From Latin iniectus, injectus, participle of iniciō, injiciō (“to throw in”), from in- + iaciō (“I throw”).

Across languages

Translations

57 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: inspuit — to push or pump something in
  • Armenian: սրսկել (srskel) — to push or pump something in
  • Bulgarian: инжектирам (inžektiram) — to push or pump something in
  • Catalan: injectar — to push or pump something in
  • Chinese Mandarin: 注射 (zhùshè) — to push or pump something in
  • Dutch: injecteren — to push or pump something in
  • Dutch: inspuiten — to push or pump something in
  • French: injecter — to push or pump something in
  • German: injizieren — to push or pump something in
  • German: spritzen — to push or pump something in
  • German: einspritzen — to push or pump something in
  • Ancient Greek: ἐνίημι (eníēmi) — to push or pump something in
  • Khiamniungan Naga: lāp — to push or pump something in
  • Norman: înjecter — to push or pump something in
  • Slovak: vstreknúť — to push or pump something in
  • Slovak: vstrekovať — to push or pump something in
  • Slovak: injektovať — to push or pump something in
  • Swedish: spruta in — to push or pump something in
  • Swedish: injicera — to push or pump something in
  • Armenian: սրսկել (srskel) — to introduce something suddenly or violently
  • Bulgarian: впръсквам (vprǎskvam) — to introduce something suddenly or violently
  • Catalan: injectar — to introduce something suddenly or violently
  • Chinese Mandarin: 增加 (zēngjiā) — to introduce something suddenly or violently
  • Chinese Mandarin: 投入 (tóurù) — to introduce something suddenly or violently
  • Dutch: injecteren — to introduce something suddenly or violently
  • German: injizieren — to introduce something suddenly or violently
  • Slovak: vdýchnuť — to introduce something suddenly or violently
  • Afrikaans: inspuit — to administer an injection to
  • Armenian: սրսկել (srskel) — to administer an injection to
  • Bulgarian: инжектирам (inžektiram) — to administer an injection to
  • Catalan: injectar — to administer an injection to
  • Dutch: injecteren — to administer an injection to
  • Dutch: inspuiten — to administer an injection to
  • Finnish: pistää — to administer an injection to
  • Finnish: injektoida — to administer an injection to
  • Finnish: ruiskuttaa — to administer an injection to
  • Finnish: piikittää — to administer an injection to
  • French: injecter — to administer an injection to
  • German: injizieren — to administer an injection to
  • German: spritzen — to administer an injection to
  • Italian: iniettare — to administer an injection to
  • Khmer: ចាក់ថ្នាំ (cakthnam) — to administer an injection to
  • Malayalam: കുത്തിവെയ്ക്കുക ഇൻഞ്ചക്റ്റ് (kuttiveykkuka) — to administer an injection to
  • Norman: înjecter — to administer an injection to
  • Occitan: injectar — to administer an injection to
  • Polish: wstrzykiwać — to administer an injection to
  • Polish: wstrzyknąć — to administer an injection to
  • Portuguese: injetar — to administer an injection to
  • Romanian: injecta — to administer an injection to
  • Russian: впры́скивать (vprýskivatʹ) — to administer an injection to
  • Russian: впры́снуть (vprýsnutʹ) — to administer an injection to
  • Slovak: dať injekciu — to administer an injection to
  • Spanish: inyectar — to administer an injection to
  • Swedish: injicera — to administer an injection to
  • Thai: ฉีดยา (chìit-yaa) — to administer an injection to
  • Dutch: spuiten — to take or be administered something by means of injection
  • German: spritzen — to take or be administered something by means of injection