sore

American  

[sawr, sohr] / sɔr, soʊr /

adjective

sorer, sorest

1. physically painful or sensitive, as a wound, hurt, or diseased part.

   a sore arm.

   Synonyms:

   tender

2. suffering bodily pain from wounds, bruises, etc..

   He is sore because of all that exercise.

3. suffering mental pain; grieved, distressed, or sorrowful.

   to be sore at heart.

   Synonyms:

   vexed, pained, hurt, hurt, aggrieved

4. causing great mental pain, distress, or sorrow.

   a sore bereavement.

   Synonyms:

   grievous, depressing, painful

5. causing very great suffering, misery, hardship, etc..

   sore need.

6. Informal. annoyed; irritated; offended; angered.

   He was sore because he had to wait.

7. causing annoyance or irritation.

   a sore subject.

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noun

1. a sore spot or place on the body.

   Synonyms:

   wound, ulcer, abscess, inflammation

2. a source or cause of grief, distress, irritation, etc.

adverb

1. Archaic. sorely.

sore British  

/ sɔː /

adjective

1. (esp of a wound, injury, etc) painfully sensitive; tender

2. causing annoyance

   a sore point

3. resentful; irked

   he was sore that nobody believed him

4. urgent; pressing

   in sore need

5. (postpositive) grieved; distressed

6. causing grief or sorrow

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noun

1. a painful or sensitive wound, injury, etc

2. any cause of distress or vexation

adverb

1. archaic direly; sorely (now only in such phrases as sore pressed, sore afraid )

sore Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing sore

• sight for sore eyes
• stick out (like a sore thumb)

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Other Word Forms

• soreness noun
• unsore adjective
• unsorely adverb
• unsoreness noun

Etymology

Origin of sore

First recorded before 900; Middle English (adjective, noun, and adverb); Old English sār; cognate with Dutch zeer, German sehr, Old Norse sārr

Example Sentences

Influenza can lead to complications and fatalities, especially in people 65 years and older or under 5 with fever, cough and sore throat.

From Los Angeles Times

There are other sore spots, such as China's unofficial restrictions on South Korean music and dramas that have been in place for a decade.

From BBC

“Personally, ocean swimming gives me a sense of freedom, of being in nature, it’s outdoors. You feel great after a workout — maybe sore but in a good way, not beat up.”

From Los Angeles Times

That data measures illnesses that include a fever and a cough or sore throat, which should capture the flu but may also include other pathogens.

From The Wall Street Journal

Scroll through social media and you'd be forgiven for thinking saunas and cold plunges are close to a miracle cure, boosting immunity, burning fat and fixing everything from sore joints to low mood.

From BBC

Related Words

• aching
• bruised
• hurting
• inflamed
• painful
• sharp
• tender
• uncomfortable