discomfort

American  

[dis-kuhm-fert] / dɪsˈkʌm fərt /

noun

1. an absence of comfort or ease; uneasiness, hardship, or mild pain.

2. anything that is disturbing to or interferes with comfort.

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verb (used with object)

1. to disturb the comfort or happiness of; make uncomfortable or uneasy.

discomfort British  

/ dɪsˈkʌmfət /

noun

1. an inconvenience, distress, or mild pain

2. something that disturbs or deprives of ease

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verb

1. (tr) to make uncomfortable or uneasy

Other Word Forms

• discomfortable adjective
• discomfortingly adverb

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

Example Sentences

Real radicalism is accepting the discomfort; it’s acknowledging that two or more things can coexist, and addressing all of those facets at once, even if the result isn’t perfect.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

Essiedu attributes the lack of conversation around these topics to a broader discomfort around grief.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

These EC cells are known to produce sensations such as nausea, pain, and general gut discomfort, but it was unclear whether they directly interact with tuft cells.

From Science Daily • Mar. 28, 2026

Though the flies cause discomfort, they are not known to transmit diseases in L.A.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026

Now, she realized how silly it had been to ask him; of course he would never understand the discomfort that came with being a part of the gloss that was her parents’ life.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Related Words

• ache
• annoyance
• displeasure
• disquiet
• embarrassment
• hardship
• soreness
• trouble
• uneasiness
• unpleasantness