discomfort
Americannoun
-
an absence of comfort or ease; uneasiness, hardship, or mild pain.
-
anything that is disturbing to or interferes with comfort.
verb (used with object)
noun
-
an inconvenience, distress, or mild pain
-
something that disturbs or deprives of ease
verb
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
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.
"As long as you're practicing safely, you're checking in, as long as you don't feel any pain or discomfort, then generally it's safe to continue."
From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026
"Moderation is key to avoiding discomfort while still enjoying the possible metabolic benefits of carbonated water," he says.
From Science Daily • Apr. 17, 2026
There might be a small touch of some discomfort or dissonance or awkwardness or absurdity or something.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
The people don’t just want discomfort; they enjoy it.
From Salon • Apr. 9, 2026
Unfortunately for me and Eliza, her befriending me meant being iced out by Mariel and Dagmara, so her entrance onto the team did nothing to quell my discomfort.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
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.
