sorer; sorest
1
a
: causing emotional pain or distress
a sore subject
b
: physically tender (as from overuse or injury) : feeling or affected by pain : achy
sore muscles
limped on a sore leg
felt sore all over
2
: attended by difficulties, hardship, or exertion
soreness
noun
1
: a localized sore spot on the body
especially
: one (such as an ulcer) with the tissues ruptured or abraded and usually with infection
2
: a source of pain or vexation : affliction
Synonyms
Adjective
Adverb
- achingly
- almighty
- archly
- awful
- awfully
- badly
- beastly
- blisteringly
- bone
- colossally
- corking
- cracking
- damn
- damned
- dang
- deadly
- desperately
- eminently
- enormously
- especially
- ever
- exceedingly
- exceeding
- extra
- extremely
- fabulously
- fantastically
- far
- fiercely
- filthy
- frightfully
- full
- greatly
- heavily
- highly
- hugely
- immensely
- incredibly
- intensely
- jolly
- majorly
- mightily
- mighty
- monstrous [chiefly dialect]
- mortally
- most
- much
- particularly
- passing
- rattling
- real
- really
- right
- roaring
- roaringly
- seriously
- severely
- so
- sorely
- spanking
- specially
- stinking
- such
- super
- supremely
- surpassingly
- terribly
- that
- thumping
- too
- unco
- uncommonly
- vastly
- very
- vitally
- way
- whacking
- wicked
- wildly
Examples of sore in a Sentence
Adjective
a dog limping on a sore leg
The patient has a sore throat.
That's a sore subject to bring up.
The discussion touched on a sore spot.
My neighbor is sore at me.
Are you still sore about what happened last night?
Noun
He has a sore on his lip.
Adverb
I was sore afraid we'd never make it home.
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Recent Examples on the Web
Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2023
Another product to elevate your routine (and relieve your sore muscles), Therabody’s Theragun Mini, is $50 off right now.
—Michelle Parente, Health, 24 Nov. 2023
Have a heating pad and/or hot Epsom bath salts on hand to ease the pain and help soothe a sore body.
—Essence, 16 Nov. 2023
His legs were stiff, swollen and sore, complicating his hope of returning to work.
—Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Nov. 2023
Over time, their paws can become cracked or sore, especially during harsh weather conditions.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 5 Nov. 2023
They’re made of pure muscle, and while the payout of delicious swordfish steaks is worth the grind, your whole body will be sore at the dinner table.
—Joe Cermele, Field & Stream, 9 Nov. 2023
To remedy a sore scalp, and keep irritation at bay in the long term, use a deep cleansing shampoo first to remove any potential build up and pollutants, then massage right into the roots with a light conditioner.
—Georgia Day, Vogue, 2 Nov. 2023
In April 2021, The Nevers premiered and became a sore spot for Bloys after critics largely panned the Joss Whedon steampunk-fantasy series.
—Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2023
Eliza Griswold, The New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2023
The infection usually begins with a painless sore in the mouth, rectum or genitals, then can progress to more sores or a rash that typically doesn't itch.
—Aria Bendix, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2023
Ulcers Peptic ulcers are sores in the stomach and duodenum, or the first part of the small intestine.
—Amanda Gardner, Health, 29 Oct. 2023
Peptic ulcers are typically characterized by severe abdominal pain and are described as open sores that develop on the inside lining of the stomach and upper portion of the small intestine.
—Melissa Ruggieri, The Enquirer, 7 Sep. 2023
The disease normally runs its course over a few days, but the sores in the mouth can last longer.
—Parents Editors, Parents, 3 Sep. 2023
Dealing with lumps, bumps, or sores on your skin can be super frustrating.
—Korin Miller, SELF, 2 Nov. 2023
Disease intervention specialists often link infected mothers and their partners with care for syphilis, which has mild symptoms for adults, like fever and sores.
—Kenya Hunter, Fortune Well, 28 Oct. 2023
This set comes with neroli-scented dish soap, surface cleaner, and hand soap, all housed in chic and sleek black bottles that are anything but eye sores.
—Sophie Dweck, Town & Country, 21 Aug. 2023
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Oct. 2023
For the Pacers, All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton (knee bruise), center Myles Turner (sore back) and backup point guard T.J. McConnell (sore back) are each questionable to play.
—Detroit Free Press, 11 Mar. 2023
Keita Bates-Diop (sore back), Josh Primo (stomach illmess).
—Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News, 11 Mar. 2022
The Pacers were without Oshae Brissett (sore back), Malcolm Brogdon (rest), Chris Duarte (left big toe), Isaiah Jackson (headache), T.J. McConnell (right wrist), Ricky Rubio (left ACL), Myles Turner (stress reaction in left foot), T.J. Warren (stress fracture in left foot) and Duane Washington Jr.
—James Boyd, The Indianapolis Star, 29 Mar. 2022
But perhaps most of all, Scully will be remembered for his words when a sore-legged Kirk Gibson unexpectedly limped to the plate in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series for an underdog Dodgers team and worked the count full against the game’s preeminent reliever, Dennis Eckersley.
—Jon Weisman, Variety, 2 Aug. 2022
Somehow, this simple snip was going to solve all of their problems — relationship woes, professional sleights, a sore lower back.
—Loren Savini, Allure, 30 Dec. 2022
With undrafted rookie Isaiah Weston out for the season with a torn ACL and sixth-round pick Michael Woods II nursing a sore hamstring the past few weeks, Baldwin has been a pleasant surprise.
—cleveland, 21 Aug. 2022
Linderbaum left practice early on Thursday after coming up sore during a running drill.
—Jonas Shaffer, Baltimore Sun, 8 Aug. 2022
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Adjective
The effortless wrap provides a constant vibration paired with even heating to soothe sore muscles.
—Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2023
Another product to elevate your routine (and relieve your sore muscles), Therabody’s Theragun Mini, is $50 off right now.
—Michelle Parente, Health, 24 Nov. 2023
Have a heating pad and/or hot Epsom bath salts on hand to ease the pain and help soothe a sore body.
—Essence, 16 Nov. 2023
His legs were stiff, swollen and sore, complicating his hope of returning to work.
—Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Nov. 2023
Over time, their paws can become cracked or sore, especially during harsh weather conditions.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 5 Nov. 2023
They’re made of pure muscle, and while the payout of delicious swordfish steaks is worth the grind, your whole body will be sore at the dinner table.
—Joe Cermele, Field & Stream, 9 Nov. 2023
To remedy a sore scalp, and keep irritation at bay in the long term, use a deep cleansing shampoo first to remove any potential build up and pollutants, then massage right into the roots with a light conditioner.
—Georgia Day, Vogue, 2 Nov. 2023
In April 2021, The Nevers premiered and became a sore spot for Bloys after critics largely panned the Joss Whedon steampunk-fantasy series.
—Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2023
Noun
Those injecting Tranq, along with heroin and fentanyl, are often covered with open sores, which can become so severely infected that users are prone to losing limbs.
—Eliza Griswold, The New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2023
The infection usually begins with a painless sore in the mouth, rectum or genitals, then can progress to more sores or a rash that typically doesn't itch.
—Aria Bendix, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2023
Ulcers Peptic ulcers are sores in the stomach and duodenum, or the first part of the small intestine.
—Amanda Gardner, Health, 29 Oct. 2023
Peptic ulcers are typically characterized by severe abdominal pain and are described as open sores that develop on the inside lining of the stomach and upper portion of the small intestine.
—Melissa Ruggieri, The Enquirer, 7 Sep. 2023
The disease normally runs its course over a few days, but the sores in the mouth can last longer.
—Parents Editors, Parents, 3 Sep. 2023
Dealing with lumps, bumps, or sores on your skin can be super frustrating.
—Korin Miller, SELF, 2 Nov. 2023
Disease intervention specialists often link infected mothers and their partners with care for syphilis, which has mild symptoms for adults, like fever and sores.
—Kenya Hunter, Fortune Well, 28 Oct. 2023
This set comes with neroli-scented dish soap, surface cleaner, and hand soap, all housed in chic and sleek black bottles that are anything but eye sores.
—Sophie Dweck, Town & Country, 21 Aug. 2023
Adverb
Eventually, an infection in the sore reached Figueroa’s hip bone.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Oct. 2023
For the Pacers, All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton (knee bruise), center Myles Turner (sore back) and backup point guard T.J. McConnell (sore back) are each questionable to play.
—Detroit Free Press, 11 Mar. 2023
Keita Bates-Diop (sore back), Josh Primo (stomach illmess).
—Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News, 11 Mar. 2022
The Pacers were without Oshae Brissett (sore back), Malcolm Brogdon (rest), Chris Duarte (left big toe), Isaiah Jackson (headache), T.J. McConnell (right wrist), Ricky Rubio (left ACL), Myles Turner (stress reaction in left foot), T.J. Warren (stress fracture in left foot) and Duane Washington Jr.
—James Boyd, The Indianapolis Star, 29 Mar. 2022
But perhaps most of all, Scully will be remembered for his words when a sore-legged Kirk Gibson unexpectedly limped to the plate in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series for an underdog Dodgers team and worked the count full against the game’s preeminent reliever, Dennis Eckersley.
—Jon Weisman, Variety, 2 Aug. 2022
Somehow, this simple snip was going to solve all of their problems — relationship woes, professional sleights, a sore lower back.
—Loren Savini, Allure, 30 Dec. 2022
With undrafted rookie Isaiah Weston out for the season with a torn ACL and sixth-round pick Michael Woods II nursing a sore hamstring the past few weeks, Baldwin has been a pleasant surprise.
—cleveland, 21 Aug. 2022
Linderbaum left practice early on Thursday after coming up sore during a running drill.
—Jonas Shaffer, Baltimore Sun, 8 Aug. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sore.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English sor, from Old English sār; akin to Old High German sēr sore and probably to Old Irish saeth distress
First Known Use
Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adverb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of sore was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing sore
Dictionary Entries Near sore
Cite this Entry
“Sore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sore. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
sore
1 of 3 adjective
ˈsō(ə)r 
ˈsȯ(ə)r
sorer; sorest
1
a
: causing pain or distress
a sore subject
b
: full of pain : tender
sore muscles
c
: hurt or red and swollen so as to be or seem painful
sore runny eyes
2
: accompanied by difficulties, hardship, or exertion
in a sore situation
3
: angry sense 1a
my friend is sore at me
soreness
noun
sore
2 of 3 noun1
: a sore spot on the body
especially
: one (as an ulcer) with the tissues broken and usually infected
2
: a cause of pain : affliction
sore
3 of 3 adverb
: sorely
Medical Definition
sore
1 of 2 adjective
sorer; sorest
: causing, characterized by, or affected with pain : painful
sore muscles
a sore wound
sorely
adverb
soreness
noun
sore
2 of 2 noun
: a localized sore spot on the body
especially
: one (as an ulcer) with the tissues ruptured or abraded and usually with infection
More from Merriam-Webster on sore
Nglish: Translation of sore for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of sore for Arabic Speakers
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