ache

verb

\ ˈāk

ached; aching

Definition of ache

(Entry 1 of 2)

intransitive verb

1a : to suffer a usually dull persistent pain an aching back

b : to become distressed or disturbed (as with anxiety or regret) aching with sadness

c : to feel compassion My heart aches for those poor people.

2 : to experience a painful eagerness or yearning He is aching to go.

ache

noun

Definition of ache (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : a usually dull persistent pain had an ache in his back

2 : a condition marked by aching looked through the old pictures with a dull ache in her heart

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about ache

Keep scrolling for more

Synonyms for ache

Synonyms: Verb

hurt, pain, smart

Synonyms: Noun

pain, pang, prick, shoot, smart, sting, stitch, throe, tingle, twinge

Examples of ache in a Sentence

Verb

Her muscles were aching from shoveling snow. After running the marathon, his body ached for a week. The candy's so sweet that it makes my teeth ache.

Noun

He had a dull ache in his back from lifting boxes all day. a dull pounding ache in his head

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Mr Trump lambasted the war for years, seemed momentarily energised by the prospect of succeeding where his predecessor failed, and now—aching for a foreign-policy win—may simply want the troops out before next year’s election. — The Economist, "Trumped by the Taliban," 5 Sep. 2019 Three years on, his body still aches sometimes from the nerve damage caused by the bullet that struck the base of his spine then shot upward and ravaged his organs. — Mary Schmich, chicagotribune.com, "Column: Three years after Tavon Tanner was shot, he and his twin sister find quiet among peaceful streets," 9 Aug. 2019 My heart ached for the Roskelleys and their friends. — Nick Heil, Outside Online, "The Tragedy on Howse Peak," 28 Aug. 2019 Her work scratched the magic of that unnameable place that aches & buoys the soul. — Globe Correspondent, BostonGlobe.com, "Tweets of the Week: Mourning Toni Morrison, #OperationCleanSweep, 30-50 feral hogs," 9 Aug. 2019 That’s largely because the younger labor force is shrinking, and few want to do such low-paying, back-aching work. — Los Angeles Times, "Desperate for workers, aging Japan turns to robots for healthcare," 25 July 2019 My heart is aching from the human suffering being caused. — Justin Rohrlich, Quartz, "ICE detainees are no longer getting condiments on their sandwiches," 20 June 2019 After a busy day of hiking, touring museums, or schlepping bags through the airport, a soothing bath can relieve aching muscles and reduce anxiety and stress. — Necee Regis, BostonGlobe.com, "Here, there, and everywhere," 25 June 2019 His hips ached with every step, limiting his walk to a shuffle. — Lisa Sanders, New York Times, "What Was the Cause of the Excruciating Pain in His Shoulders and Hips?," 5 June 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

There is no worshipping the porcelain gods or debilitating body aches. — Mike Adams, chicagotribune.com, "Marijuana hangovers are real: What you need to know," 22 Aug. 2019 More typical signs of Borrelia miyamotoi disease are fever, chills, intense headache, muscle and joint aches, and fatigue, which can all set in within days to weeks after infection. — Patia Braithwaite, SELF, "8 Tick-Borne Illnesses That Aren’t Lyme Disease," 26 July 2019 Chills, fever, sweats, fatigue, headache, vomiting, nausea, and body aches are all symptoms of malaria. — Maggie O'neill, Health.com, "What Is Malaria, and Where Are You Most at Risk?," 23 July 2019 Typically, enteroviruses cause people to have cold-like symptoms such as fever, runny nose and body aches, and recovery is easy. — Michael Nedelman, CNN, "11 cases of polio-like illness AFM confirmed in eight states in 2019, CDC says," 9 July 2019 Most people infected with West Nile do not develop any symptoms, but roughly one in five develop a fever with other symptoms such as headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash. — Jay R. Jordan, Houston Chronicle, "Mosquito tests positive for West Nile, found near Memorial Park, Buffalo Bayou," 20 June 2019 Nearly everyone has experienced a fever and its attendant symptoms—from fatigue and body aches to hot flashes and chills. — Markham Heid, Time, "The Science Behind Fever Dreams," 11 June 2019 Mumps typically starts with a few days of fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite, followed by swollen salivary glands, according to the Health Department. — CBS News, "New Jersey jail placed on lockdown following suspected mumps outbreak," 11 June 2019 The most common disease spread by ticks is Lyme disease, which can cause multiple symptoms including fever, muscle aches, joint pain, rash and facial paralysis. — Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, "U.S. House orders Pentagon to investigate whether ticks were once used as biological weapons," 17 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ache.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for ache

Verb

Middle English aken, going back to Old English acan, of uncertain origin

Note: Originally a Class VI strong verb, to judge by Middle English past tense forms such as eoc, ok, etc. (no preterit forms are attested in Old English). There is no counterpart to the verb in other Germanic languages, and words adduced as possible relatives (e.g., Middle Dutch akel "harm, injury, grief," Middle Low German ēken "to fester") are formally and semantically only vaguely comparable. Regarding the spelling see note at ache entry 2.

Noun

Middle English, going back to Old English æce, ece, noun derivative from the base of acan "to ache entry 1"

Note: The spelling with -ch-, reflecting the historical pronunciation of the noun, has spread to the verb, while the pronunciation of the verb with [k], continued from Old English, has spread to the noun since late Middle English. The persistence of the spelling with -ch- may have been influenced by Samuel Johnson's mistaken notion that the word derived from Greek áchos "pain, distress."

Keep scrolling for more