soreness

UK: /ˈsɔː^rnɪs/

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

sore /sɔr/   adj., sor•er, sor•est, n., adv. 
adj. 

1. Pathology physically painful or sensitive, such as a wound or diseased part:
   a sore arm.
2. Pathology suffering bodily pain from wounds, bruises, etc.:
   [be + ~] I'm sore all over from that heavy lifting we did yesterday.
3. Pathology, Psychiatry suffering mental pain:
   [be + ~] sore at heart.
4. Psychiatry causing great mental pain:
   [before a noun] a sore loss.
5. causing very great misery or hardship:
   [before a noun] The team is in sore need of a new pitcher.
6. Informal Terms annoyed;
   irritated;
   angered:
   [be + ~ (+ at + object)] The boss is sore (at me) because I lost her report.
7. causing annoyance or irritation:
   Her accident with the car is a sore subject right now.

n. [countable]

8. an irritated or infected spot on the body that is painful:
   His skin was covered with scaly sores.

adv. 

9. [Archaic.] sorely.

sore•ly, adv.: 

The injured star pitcher will be sorely missed by his teammates.

sore•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

sore  (sôr, sōr), adj., sor•er, sor•est, n., adv. 
adj. 

1. Pathology physically painful or sensitive, as a wound, hurt, or diseased part:
   a sore arm.
2. Pathology suffering bodily pain from wounds, bruises, etc., as a person:
   He is sore because of all that exercise.
3. Pathology, Psychiatry suffering mental pain;
   grieved, distressed, or sorrowful:
   to be sore at heart.
4. Psychiatry causing great mental pain, distress, or sorrow:
   a sore bereavement.
5. causing very great suffering, misery, hardship, etc.:
   sore need.
6. Informal Terms annoyed;
   irritated;
   offended;
   angered:
   He was sore because he had to wait.
7. causing annoyance or irritation:
   a sore subject.

n. 
8. a sore spot or place on the body.
9. a source or cause of grief, distress, irritation, etc.

adv. 
10. [Archaic.] sorely.
• bef. 900; Middle English (adjective, adjectival, noun, nominal, and adverb, adverbial); Old English sār; cognate with Dutch zeer, German sehr, Old Norse sārr
sore′ness, n. 
Synonyms
• 1. tender.
• 3. aggrieved, hurt, pained, vexed.
• 4. grievous, distressing, painful, depressing.
• 8. infection, abscess, ulcer, wound.