discomfort
Americannoun
-
discomforts
plural
-
an absence of comfort or ease; uneasiness, hardship, or mild pain.
-
anything that is disturbing to or interferes with comfort.
verb (used with object)
-
discomforts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
discomforted,
past participle, past
-
discomforting
present participle
noun
-
an inconvenience, distress, or mild pain
-
something that disturbs or deprives of ease
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
discomfortsimple
-
discomfortssimple
-
have discomfortedperfect
-
has discomfortedperfect
-
am discomfortingprogressive
-
are discomfortingprogressive
-
is discomfortingprogressive
-
have been discomfortingperfect progressive
-
has been discomfortingperfect progressive
Past
-
discomfortedsimple
-
had discomfortedperfect
-
was discomfortingprogressive
-
were discomfortingprogressive
-
had been discomfortingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of discomfort
First recorded in 1300–50; (for the verb) Middle English discomforten “to discourage, pain,” from Anglo-French descomforter “to sadden, grieve”; equivalent to dis- 1 + comfort; noun derivative of verb
Explanation
Discomfort is the feeling of irritation, soreness, or pain that, though not severe, is annoying. Every year, people who get a cold or the flu experience a few days of discomfort. The noun discomfort is good for describing situations when you aren't quite in pain, but you don't feel very good. Things that cause discomfort include a dull toothache, a blister on your foot, and a terrible mattress. Discomfort can also describe embarrassment, like the discomfort you'd feel if you suddenly realized you were in the wrong classroom.
Vocabulary lists containing discomfort
Stay Strong: Forc and Fort
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Smile
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
That Hurts! Synonyms for "Pain"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
In the first three months after insertion, for instance, 69 percent of participants experienced heavy bleeding, and 28 percent had pelvic discomfort.
From Slate ● Oct. 27, 2026
At about 8 p.m., a wave of discomfort swept through the crowd, visible on attendees’ faces as they glanced frequently at their phones, according to people at the event.
From Salon ● Oct. 26, 2026
It meant embracing uncertainty, discomfort, wildly unpredictable weather, and limited accommodations in remote villages.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026
Common obstacles include discomfort, limited time, and the physical demands of conventional exercise programs.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 21, 2026
“Pardon me, Miss Lumley. Are you suffering from indigestion? If so, please keep your discomfort to yourself.”
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
As the latest heat wave discomforts Europe, France is arguing about air conditioning.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
After the interview, Isaac and co-host Ronald Young Jr. talk about the challenges and discomforts of self-promotion.
From Slate ● Aug. 25, 2024
For Mason Kidd, a 22-year-old freelance film producer, those are small discomforts worth bearing to watch history.
From BBC ● May 11, 2024
There's menopause, with its discomforts and night sweats.
From Salon ● Dec. 2, 2023
Such discomforts were not new to me, but lately I had become accustomed to regular meals and soft bedding.
From "The Shakespeare Stealer" by Gary L. Blackwood
The unapologetically Black person wears their Blackness every day, regardless of who is offended or discomforted by it.
From Salon ● Oct. 21, 2026
He was clearly discomforted by the swelling on his foot and had to be stretchered from the field.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2025
Though Head made a silky 146 on day one, he was discomforted by the short ball, and when a fired-up Siraj went short again on Thursday morning, Head gloved down the leg side.
From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2023
Mr. Kriegel’s raw emotion, it was plain, discomforted them.
From New York Times ● Oct. 11, 2022
I apologized by instinct to him for this mishap which discomforted only me.
From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles
Well, there’s a funny hidden message there, which is kind of discomforting if you really think about it.
From Salon ● Oct. 16, 2026
Stark, discomforting amplification diminishes intimacy and the luxurious richness of Bullock’s soprano, which easily fills a room on its own, suggests quiet terror, the lonely state of Nina Simone’s “Images.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 19, 2026
That calmed worries that had built on Wall Street that the inflation data could show a discomforting reacceleration.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 29, 2024
It is a prospect that has some people bracing for possibly discomforting disclosures.
From New York Times ● Apr. 25, 2023
But the fact is, once I had sat down to supper at their table, once a number of their neighbours had come calling, a most discomforting set of events began to unfold around me.
From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
