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

See Examples For:

sore throat

The 21-year-old, who was in her first year at Cardiff University, believed her sore throat and flu-like symptoms were a hangover and initially "brushed it off".

From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026

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

My sore throat was gone, but speaking for more than 10 seconds made me lightheaded, as if I were trying to blow up a balloon simply by talking.

From Slate ● Apr. 18, 2026

Initial symptoms may include fever, headaches, muscle pain, vomiting and sore throat.

From BBC ● Jan. 27, 2026

I didn’t believe for one minute that he had a sore throat.

From "Silent To The Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg