Meaning & use
discomfort
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Meanings
noununcountable
A mild feeling of physical pain or soreness.
Grammar: Uncountable when referring to a general state; can be countable when referring to a specific instance (e.g., 'a discomfort in my knee').
Patterns
- discomfort in something
- cause discomfort
- feel discomfort
She felt a dull discomfort in her lower back after sitting all day.
The medication may cause some discomfort, but it usually passes quickly.
He shifted in his chair, trying to ease the discomfort in his shoulder.
noununcountable
A feeling of mental unease or embarrassment.
Grammar: Often used with verbs like 'cause', 'feel', or 'show'.
Patterns
- cause someone discomfort
- feel discomfort
- discomfort about something
His direct questions caused her obvious discomfort.
There was a sense of discomfort in the room after the argument.
She tried to hide her discomfort at being the center of attention.
verbtransitiverare
To make someone feel slightly uneasy or embarrassed.
Grammar: Takes an object: 'The remark discomforted him.'
Patterns
- discomfort someone
The unexpected compliment discomforted him, and he looked away.
She was discomforted by the intense scrutiny.
Word forms
| plural | discomforts |
|---|---|
| third person singular | discomforts |
| past tense | discomforted |
| past participle | discomforted |
| -ing form | discomforting |
Common combinations
- physical discomfort
- The injury left him with constant physical discomfort.
- mental discomfort
- She experienced mental discomfort when speaking in public.
- cause discomfort
- The tight shoes caused discomfort during the long walk.
- ease discomfort
- A warm bath can help ease discomfort in your muscles.
- discomfort zone
- Learning a new language often puts you in a discomfort zone.
Synonyms and how they differ
- pain
- Pain is stronger and more intense; discomfort is milder and often less specific.
- unease
- Unease is mainly mental and suggests anxiety, while discomfort can be physical or mental.
- soreness
- Soreness refers specifically to physical pain in muscles or skin, not mental unease.
Opposites
Word family
- comfort noun
- A state of physical ease and freedom from pain.
- comfortable adjective
- Giving physical ease or free from pain.
- uncomfortable adjective
- Causing or feeling slight pain or unease.
- discomforting adjective
- Causing discomfort.
Commonly confused: discomfort or discomfit?
discomfort vs discomfit
Discomfit is a verb meaning to make someone uneasy or embarrassed; discomfort is mainly a noun for mild pain or unease.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
Discomfort is uncountable when referring to a general feeling, so 'I have discomfort in my back' is correct. 'A discomfort' is possible but less common and sounds more specific.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “discomfort”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.