adjective
achy
AY-kee
Achy (adjective) means suffering from aches; sore all over. Example: “I woke up feeling achy and tired, like I was coming down with something.”
adjective
1
Suffering from aches; sore all over.
"The achy path leads downhill, bump bump bump, rocks jagged and the climate wetter and colder, till I’m toothless, beyond pain, on a frosty skerry beach, my fingers numb, my lungs flapping like dead leaves."
— Michael Kenyon, Sea of Qi Shu (2012)
"Sora, his cinematographer, Bill Kirstein, and the composer Lia Ouyang Rusli capture the achy pleasures of youthful friendship and the tectonic frictions of the personal, the political and the geological."
— Lisa Kennedy, ‘Happyend’ Review: Adolescent Tremors (2025)
"I woke up feeling achy and tired, like I was coming down with something."
How to use achy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA casual way to say your body hurts generally, often as a sign of illness or overexertion.
Common pairings
achy joints
feel achy
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Word forms
- Comparative
- achier
- Superlative
- achiest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
I woke up feeling _____ and tired, like I was coming down with something.
Etymology
From "ache" plus the adjective ending "-y."
Related words
Rhymes for achy
See all rhymes for achy →Frequently asked questions
What does “achy” mean?
The word “achy” means suffering from aches; sore all over. In plain terms, a casual way to say your body hurts generally, often as a sign of illness or overexertion.
How do you pronounce “achy”?
“Achy” is pronounced AY-kee (/ˈeɪ.ki/ in IPA).
How do you use “achy” in a sentence?
Here is “achy” used in a sentence: “I woke up feeling achy and tired, like I was coming down with something.”
What part of speech is “achy”?
“Achy” is an adjective.
