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
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:
Can he pitch effectively if he can tolerate the discomfort?
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2026
For others, the low-frequency sound can cause physical discomfort or illness and may also feel like a vibration moving through the body.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026
Serbian Olympic long jumper Ivana Spanovic, who also gave advice to the EBU said certain cameras not only cause discomfort during events but can have "serious long-term effects on athlete's mental health."
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
The illness is characterized by discomfort, and while it can be frustrating when symptoms relapse, it’s not life-threatening for most people, according to the CDC.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026
It took me a while to get used to the discomfort, and the tiredness.
From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo
As the latest heat wave discomforts Europe, France is arguing about air conditioning.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
SuperMouth ULTIM8 SmartBrush System – Toothbrushes have long been one of travel’s little discomforts — often still damp from use, or less than effective when you pack a separate “travel” brush.
From Salon ● Nov. 20, 2025
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
I had not considered that travel would have so many discomforts.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
He found movement to take the edges of Crawley and Root, then bounced out the discomforted Smith.
From BBC ● Dec. 18, 2025
Duckett had been discomforted by the short ball and Root caught off a no-ball, yet England refused to temper their aggression.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2023
Mr. Kriegel’s raw emotion, it was plain, discomforted them.
From New York Times ● Oct. 11, 2022
He was discomforted by the pace of Wood, bowled by the Stokes no-ball on 17, and reprieved on 48 when Burns put down a simple chance at second slip off Robinson's bowling.
From BBC ● Dec. 9, 2021
“Of course — everyone knows —” muttered Mr. Diggory, looking highly discomforted.
From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling
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
The absence of a human hand — made glaring and discomforting through the tiniest lapses of approximated intuition — can render the listening experience a valueless exchange, the music a bunk currency.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 16, 2023
If your thirst for strange Santas is still not quenched, this discomforting Mexican morality tale will be the gift that keeps on giving — nightmares, that is.
From New York Times ● Dec. 2, 2022
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
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.
