sore

[ sawr, sohr ]

adjective

, sor·er, sor·est.

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, 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.

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

/ 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

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 )

Derived Forms

• ˈsoreness, noun

Other Words From

• soreness noun
• un·sore adjective
• un·sorely adverb
• un·soreness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sore¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of sore¹

Old English sār; related to Old Norse sārr, Old High German sēr, Gothic sair sore, Latin saevus angry

Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with sore , also see sight for sore eyes ; stick out (like a sore thumb) .

Example Sentences

Some chicken soup and about five hours of sleep did wonders for his sore throat.

From Los Angeles Times

How will she reconcile with Latinos sore that they aren’t represented by one of their own?

From Los Angeles Times

“Nothing happens next,” said Davis, who missed a game last week because of a sore heel, an injury the Lakers are continuing to monitor.

From Los Angeles Times

“I think he’ll go from being a sore loser to a sore winner,” said Terhune, who lives outside Indianapolis in a blue-collar neighborhood.

From Los Angeles Times

Your throat might start to feel itchy and sore.

From BBC

Related Words

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