discomfort
Americannoun
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an absence of comfort or ease; uneasiness, hardship, or mild pain.
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anything that is disturbing to or interferes with comfort.
verb (used with object)
noun
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an inconvenience, distress, or mild pain
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something that disturbs or deprives of ease
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
discomfortsimple
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discomfortssimple
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have discomfortedperfect
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has discomfortedperfect
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am discomfortingprogressive
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are discomfortingprogressive
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is discomfortingprogressive
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have been discomfortingperfect progressive
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has been discomfortingperfect progressive
Past
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discomfortedsimple
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had discomfortedperfect
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was discomfortingprogressive
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were discomfortingprogressive
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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
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Smile
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That Hurts! Synonyms for "Pain"
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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.
It’s a sign of discomfort that requires medical attention.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2026
Nevertheless, ECB rate setters have in recent weeks been balancing the discomfort of inflation still above the bank’s 2% target alongside signs that the impact of the surge in energy prices is softening.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 1, 2026
You may also experience the discomfort that comes with venturing far afield from what you’ve taken for granted in the U.S.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 30, 2026
By targeting abnormal blood vessels associated with inflammation, the treatment can help decrease swelling and discomfort.
From Science Daily • Jun. 23, 2026
When Hamilton showed a late draft of this passage to John Jay for his commentary, Jay expressed admiration for the style but slight discomfort with the argument.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
