sore throat

American  

noun

Pathology.

sore throats plural

1. a painful or sensitive condition of the throat exaggerated by swallowing or talking, usually caused by bacteria or viruses; laryngitis; pharyngitis; tonsillitis.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• sore throats
  plural

Etymology

Origin of sore throat

First recorded in 1680–90

Example Sentences

The third day of the fire, he woke up with a runny nose, sore throat and chapped lips, he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 25, 2026

Early symptoms resemble those of other, more common diseases: fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache and sore throat.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

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 • Jan. 7, 2026

Symptoms in humans mimic a severe flu: high fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches and, at times, conjunctivitis.

From BBC • Dec. 17, 2025

I knew that Cristiana would not be out of doors, for she had taken to her bed with a sore throat.

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein