sore

1 of 3

adjective

ˈsȯr 

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

3

: angry, irked

a sore loser

soreness noun

sore

2 of 3

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

sore

3 of 3

adverb

: sorely

Synonyms of sore

Adjective

• aching
• painful
• hurting

Adverb

• terribly
• extremely
• very
• incredibly
• too
• damn
• badly
• damned
• severely
• so
• really
• highly
• desperately
• seriously
• jolly
• far
• intensely
• super
• greatly
• especially

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Kerr also added that Kuminga’s sore knee is improving, but did not know if Kuminga would play on Tuesday. —Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 1 Feb. 2026

There’s also a destination spa with eco-holistic therapies like the Desert Gemstone Ritual (amethyst and citrine stones to help heal sore muscles and increase energy flow) and five—yes, five—excellent restaurants. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Jan. 2026

Noun

One of the dogs had pressure sores on all of its limbs, indicating inactivity, the detective wrote. —David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026

Wounds range from diabetic foot ulcers to venous and arterial ulcers and bed sores. —Elizabeth Green, AJC.com, 8 Jan. 2026

Adverb

The Indiana Supreme Court heard oral arguments in September in the case of a man who entered a hospital with COVID-19 in January 2022, developed an infection from a bed sore and died that March. —Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 21 Nov. 2025

He was originally injured in Week 1 against Seattle, playing start to finish and woke up the next morning sore. —Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 31 Oct. 2025

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

Phrases Containing sore

• canker sore
• cold sore
• saddle sore
• septic sore throat
• sight for sore eyes
• sore loser
• sore throat
• stick/stand out like a sore thumb

Rhymes for sore

• boar
• boer
• bore
• chore
• cor
• core
• corps
• crore
• door
• drawer
• floor
• flor

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 noun

1

: 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

ˈsō(ə)r, ˈsȯ(ə)r 

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