sore
10 synonyms and 1 antonym for sore, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adj — Painful or tender, especially to the touch.
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.
Antonyms
How to use sore
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
sore throat
sore muscles
a sore loser
sore about it
The "annoyed" sense is casual/American in flavour.
Etymology
From Old English sar ("pain, wound"), related to German sehr ("very") — the two words split from the same root, one keeping the sense of pain and the other becoming an intensifier.
Full origin of sore →Frequently asked questions
What does “sore” mean?
The word “sore” means painful or tender, especially to the touch.
How do you pronounce “sore”?
“Sore” is pronounced saw (/soɹ/ in IPA).
How do you use “sore” in a sentence?
Here is “sore” used in a sentence: “My legs were sore for days after the hike.”
What part of speech is “sore”?
Depending on how it is used, “sore” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “sore” come from?
The word “sore” comes from Old English. From Old English sar ("pain, wound"), related to German sehr ("very") — the two words split from the same root, one keeping the sense of pain and the other becoming an intensifier.
Is “sore” a common word?
“Sore” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “sore” have?
“Sore” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: painful or tender, especially to the touch.
What is the difference between sore and soar?
Sore and soar sound identical but are unrelated. Sore means painful or tender, or refers to a patch of injured or inflamed skin, while soar means to fly or rise high, as in "prices soared." Writing "my muscles are soar" is a common spelling mistake.
What is the difference between sore and painful?
Sore usually describes a duller, tender ache that you feel when a body part is touched, moved, or used, such as sore muscles after exercise or a sore throat. Painful is broader and often stronger, and it can describe anything that causes pain, including events and experiences.
