as in hurt
to feel or cause physical pain
my feet ache from all that walking
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ached
That hand must have ached profoundly by the time the group departed.
—
Harold Holzer, New York Daily News, 8 Feb. 2026
As his wrist and back still ached from the treehouse fall, Smith’s heart broke next.
—Andrew Callahan, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2026
Despite finishing the course of her meds, the bleeding didn’t stop, and McClellan became abnormally fatigued and her lower back ached.
—Julia Sullivan, SELF, 4 Feb. 2026
Her hand and arm cramped, her shoulder ached, and her knee throbbed, all while the rain soaked through their clothes.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
His abdomen and back ached from constant dry heaves.
—Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 5 Jan. 2026
Yasmin’s back ached from the long hours, the weight of her seven-month pregnancy pressing heavily on her body.
—Ahmed Naji, The Dial, 18 Nov. 2025
His groin ached as if Sister Wang had been clutching him for years.
—Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
Smigiel’s right shoulder and elbow ached?
—Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Harold Holzer, New York Daily News, 8 Feb. 2026
As his wrist and back still ached from the treehouse fall, Smith’s heart broke next.
—Andrew Callahan, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2026
Despite finishing the course of her meds, the bleeding didn’t stop, and McClellan became abnormally fatigued and her lower back ached.
—Julia Sullivan, SELF, 4 Feb. 2026
Her hand and arm cramped, her shoulder ached, and her knee throbbed, all while the rain soaked through their clothes.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
His abdomen and back ached from constant dry heaves.
—Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 5 Jan. 2026
Yasmin’s back ached from the long hours, the weight of her seven-month pregnancy pressing heavily on her body.
—Ahmed Naji, The Dial, 18 Nov. 2025
His groin ached as if Sister Wang had been clutching him for years.
—Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
Smigiel’s right shoulder and elbow ached?
—Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ached
Verb
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Other concerns are that power-hungry data centers fed by natural gas generators can hurt air quality, consume water and intensify climate damage.—
Conor Harrison,
The Conversation,
3 Feb. 2026
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Australian freestyle skier Laura Peel hurt her knee in a training camp ahead of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, raising doubts about her participation in a fourth Games.—
Mark Scaglione,
NBC news,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Her hand and arm cramped, her shoulder ached, and her knee throbbed, all while the rain soaked through their clothes.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
27 Jan. 2026
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The upper blocks throbbed and pulsed a deep blue, reflecting the pond’s windblown currents.—
Jack Korngold,
Rolling Stone,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The only recourse those unregulated bookmakers had when their Spidey-senses tingled was to simply stop taking bets on the suspicious game.—
David Hill,
Rolling Stone,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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And right now, the NCAA men’s selection committee would be pained to place 37 at-large bids in the field and come away satisfied.—
Joe Rexrode,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
-
McNally is still pained by her death.—
Johnny Dodd,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ached.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ached. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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