ache

13 synonyms for ache, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Verb — To feel a dull, ongoing pain rather than a sharp, sudden one.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

hurt pain smart suffer

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

pine longing yen

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

throb twinge yearning yearn languish aching

Synonyms by Meaning

1. verb

To feel a dull, ongoing pain rather than a sharp, sudden one.

“My legs ached after the long hike.”

pine throb hurt pain twinge longing yearning yearn yen smart languish suffer

2. noun

A steady, dull pain, or a deep emotional hurt.

“The dentist gave her something for the ache in her tooth.”

aching

How to use ache

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

a dull ache ache for something my head aches body aches

Etymology

From Old English acan (the verb) and æce (the noun), going back to a very old Germanic root meaning "to hurt." The two spellings merged over time, partly because an 18th-century dictionary writer mistakenly linked the word to a similar-sounding Greek word for pain.

Full origin of ache →

Frequently asked questions

What does “ache” mean?

The word “ache” means to feel a dull, ongoing pain rather than a sharp, sudden one. In plain terms, a lasting, dull pain — physical or emotional — as opposed to a sharp, sudden one.

How do you pronounce “ache”?

“Ache” is pronounced AYK (/ˈeɪk/ in IPA).

How do you use “ache” in a sentence?

Here is “ache” used in a sentence: “My legs ached after the long hike.”

What part of speech is “ache”?

Depending on how it is used, “ache” can be a verb and a noun.

Where does the word “ache” come from?

The word “ache” dates back to around 1700 and comes from Old English.

Is “ache” a common word?

“Ache” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

How many meanings does “ache” have?

“Ache” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to feel a dull, ongoing pain rather than a sharp, sudden one.

People also searched

pain hurt smart suffer pine yen longing aching yearning twinge throb languish

Nearby words

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