smarting
11 synonyms for smarting, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adj — Causing a sharp, stinging pain.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. adj
Causing a sharp, stinging pain.
“My arm is still smarting from where the ball hit it.”
Etymology
Comes from Middle English smertyng, smertinge, from Old English smeortung, smertung (“smarting, itching”), equivalent to smart plus -ing.
Full origin of smarting →