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View synonyms for sore

sore

[ sawr, sohr ]

adjective

sorer, sorest.
  1. physically painful or sensitive, as a wound, hurt, or diseased part:

    a sore arm.

    Synonyms: tender

  2. suffering bodily pain from wounds, bruises, etc.:

    He is sore because of all that exercise.

  3. suffering mental pain; grieved, distressed, or sorrowful:

    to be sore at heart.

    Synonyms: vexed, pained, hurt, aggrieved

  4. causing great mental pain, distress, or sorrow:

    a sore bereavement.

    Synonyms: grievous, depressing, painful

  5. causing very great suffering, misery, hardship, etc.:

    sore need.

  6. Informal. annoyed; irritated; offended; angered:

    He was sore because he had to wait.

  7. causing annoyance or irritation:

    a sore subject.



noun

  1. a sore spot or place on the body.

    Synonyms: wound, ulcer, abscess, inflammation

  2. a source or cause of grief, distress, irritation, etc.

adverb

  1. Archaic. sorely.

sore

/ sɔː /

adjective

  1. (esp of a wound, injury, etc) painfully sensitive; tender
  2. causing annoyance

    a sore point

  3. resentful; irked

    he was sore that nobody believed him

  4. urgent; pressing

    in sore need

  5. postpositive grieved; distressed
  6. causing grief or sorrow
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a painful or sensitive wound, injury, etc
  2. any cause of distress or vexation
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

  1. archaic.
    direly; sorely (now only in such phrases as sore pressed, sore afraid )
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈsoreness, noun
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Other Words From

  • soreness noun
  • un·sore adjective
  • un·sorely adverb
  • un·soreness noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of sore1

First recorded before 900; Middle English (adjective, noun, and adverb); Old English sār; cognate with Dutch zeer, German sehr, Old Norse sārr
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Word History and Origins

Origin of sore1

Old English sār; related to Old Norse sārr, Old High German sēr, Gothic sair sore, Latin saevus angry
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Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with sore , also see sight for sore eyes ; stick out (like a sore thumb) .
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Example Sentences

Suddenly, she could exercise without her body getting sore, colleagues made more small talk with her and she felt comfortable going on adventurous dates with her boyfriend.

From BBC

Leprosy is curable with a combination of different antibiotics, but if left untreated the patients' health can deteriorate with sores and nerve damage that cause deformities.

From BBC

Austin Reaves will not miss significant time after testing on his sore calf revealed no significant problems, a person with knowledge of the injury who is not authorized to speak publicly confirmed to The Times.

The lurcher had pressure sores on her legs and had been visibly starved.

From BBC

There are not yet readily available tests for the general public to distinguish between regular influenza and bird flu, which may share common symptoms like fever, cough and sore throat.

From Salon

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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