First Known Use: before 12th century
Dictionary
1sore
adjective \ˈsȯr\
: feeling or affected by pain
: causing emotional pain or distress
: angry or upset
sor·ersor·est
Full Definition of SORE
1
a : causing pain or distress <a sore subject> b : painfully sensitive : tender <sore muscles> c : hurt or inflamed so as to be or seem painful <sore runny eyes> <a dog limping on a sore leg>
2
: attended by difficulties, hardship, or exertion
See sore defined for English-language learners
See sore defined for kids
ADVERTISEMENT
Origin of SORE
Middle English sor, from Old English sār; akin to Old High German sēr sore and probably to Old Irish saeth distress
2sore
noun
: a sore or painful spot on the body
Full Definition of SORE
1
: a localized sore spot on the body; especially : one (as an ulcer) with the tissues ruptured or abraded and usually with infection
2
: a source of pain or vexation : affliction
See sore defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of SORE
before 12th century
3sore
adverb
Definition of SORE
: sorely
First Known Use of SORE
before 12th century
Related to SORE
- Synonyms
- achingly, almighty, archly, awful, awfully, badly, beastly, blisteringly, bone, colossally, corking, cracking, damn, damned, dang, deadly, desperately, eminently, enormously, especially, ever, exceedingly (also exceeding), extra, extremely, fabulously, fantastically, far, fiercely, filthy, frightfully, full, greatly, heavily, highly, hugely, immensely, incredibly, intensely, jolly, majorly, mightily, mighty, monstrous [chiefly dialect], mortally, most, much, particularly, passing, rattling, real, really, right, roaring, roaringly, seriously, severely, so, very, sorely, spanking, specially, stinking, such, super, supremely, surpassingly, terribly, that, thumping, too, unco, uncommonly, vastly, vitally, way, whacking, wicked, wildly
- Antonyms
- little, negligibly, nominally, slightly, somewhat
SORE Defined for Kids
1sore
adjective \ˈsȯr\
sor·ersor·est
Definition of SORE for Kids
1
: very painful or sensitive : tender <My muscles are sore from exercise.>
2
: hurt or red and swollen so as to be or seem painful <a sore throat>
3
: causing emotional distress <a sore subject>
4
: angry <Are you still sore with me?>
— sore·ly adverb <She will be solely missed.>
— sore·ness noun
2sore
noun
Definition of SORE for Kids
: a sore or painful spot on the body usually with the skin broken or bruised and often with infection
Learn More About SORE
Browse
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up sore? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).