Definition Synonyms
Definition of sore - Reverso English Dictionary
Adjective
1.
painfulfeeling or causing pain from injury or irritation
- He avoided touching the sore spot on his arm..
2.
personal grudgefeeling upset or angry about something
- She was sore about not being invited to the meeting..
3.
touchy moodeasily upset or sensitive emotionally
- She is sore about the criticism she received.
Noun
1.
injuryraw or painful spot on the body
- He treated the sore on his leg with ointment..
2.
problemscause of distress or trouble
- The issue became a sore for the community.
Adverb
- He was sore afraid of the thunder.
Images of sore

raw or painful spot on the body
Expressions with sore
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
area on the body that is painful
He winced when I touched the sore spot on his arm.
someone who reacts badly to losing a game or competition
He was such a sore loser, complaining about the rules after he lost.
subject that provokes a negative reaction
The budget cuts are a sore point among the staff.
topic causing discomfort or embarrassment when mentioned
Politics is a sore subject at family dinners.
be very easy to notice because of clear difference from others
The bright red house stood out like a sore thumb on the street.
be very easy to notice because different from everything around
His casual clothes made him stick out like a sore thumb at work.
something very nice to see
The beautiful sunset was a sight for sore eyes.
experience resentment or bitterness about something
She still feels sore about losing the competition.
showing someone or something badly lacks and urgently requires something
The school is in sore need of new computers.
person who behaves poorly after winning
She was a sore winner, making fun of the losers.
feel emotional pain from sadness or loss
Her heart was sore after hearing the bad news.
feeling deep sadness or emotional pain
She was sore at heart after hearing the bad news.
feel pain or discomfort in a part of the body
After the workout, my muscles were sore.
eyes that are painful or uncomfortable
After staring at the screen, he had sore eyes.
painful, scratchy throat, often from inflammation
I got a sore throat after singing all night.
small blisters on lips from herpes virus
She gets a cold sore when stressed.
infected wound that is not healing
The doctor examined the festering sore on his leg.
ulcer that oozes pus continuously
The patient had a running sore on his leg.
non-contagious sore inside the mouth
He often gets canker sores when stressed.
sore after riding a horse
After the long ride, she felt saddle-sore.
having eyes that are red and painful
After hours of reading, he was sore-eyed and tired..
looks awkward or attracts negative attention for not fitting in
His bright shirt looked sore-thumbish at the formal event.
skin wound with exposed tissue or flesh
The doctor cleaned the open sore carefully.
wound caused by prolonged pressure on skin
The patient developed a pressure sore after lying in bed for weeks..
Origin of sore
Old English, sar (painful)
Terms with sore included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
sickness
mild viral illness causing runny nose, cough, and sore throat
intense laughter
laugh so much that your body feels sore
skin condition
looking red and feeling sore or tender
medical
cause skin to become sore by rubbing
healing process
form a crust over a wound or sore
physical irritation
make sore by rubbing or friction
exhausted
feeling extremely tired or sore
soreness
become sore from rubbing
medical
dry covering of a sore
skin condition
sore or ulcer with pus
wound care
cloth covering for a wound or sore
baby skin
red, sore skin under a baby's nappy or diaper
medical
open sore on skin or mucous membrane
medical
open sore on the leg that heals slowly or keeps returning
medical
small medicated candy for sore throats
medical
sore developing on the stomach lining due to excessive acid
illness
bacterial infection causing sore throat and fever
human skin
having skin red and sore from sun exposure
medical
sore or tender spot on skin
health
sore caused by rubbing or chafing
humor
humorous term for sore or red buttocks
physical
irritated or sore from rubbing or friction
medical disease
illness from Epstein-Barr virus with fever, sore throat, swollen glands
medical
infectious disease causing fever, sore throat, and swollen lymph glands
Examples of sore in a sentence
The sore throat made it hard to swallow. He felt sore about losing the competition. They were sore over the unfair treatment they received. He's still sore about the team's loss last week. She felt sore after the harsh feedback from her boss. She applied a bandage to the sore on her arm.
The sore on his foot made walking difficult. The budget cuts were a sore for the department. Traffic congestion is a sore for urban planners. She was sore tempted to quit her job. The child was sore in need of comfort.
View all translations of sore
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:douloureux, plaie, ...
- German:wund, Wunde, ...
- Italian:doloroso, piaga, ...
- Spanish:dolorido, úlcera, ...
- Portuguese:dolorido, chaga, ...
- Chinese:疼痛的, 痛处, ...
- Japanese:痛い, 痛み, ...
- Arabic:مُؤْلِم, قَرْحَة, ...
- Hebrew:כּוֹאֵב, פֶּצַע, ...
- Russian:болезненный, рана, ...
- Ukrainian:болючий, болячка, ...
- Hindi:दुखता हुआ, घाव, ...
icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.
icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.
icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the