TOP

Definition of sore adjective from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

      

    sore

     adjective
    adjective
    NAmE//sɔr//
     
     
    jump to other results
  1. 1if a part of your body is sore, it is painful, and often red, especially because of infection or because a muscle has been used too much to have a sore throat His feet were sore after the walk. My stomach is still sore (= painful) after the operation. Thesauruspainful
    • sore
    • raw
    • inflamed
    • infected
    • excruciating
    • burning
    • itchy
    These words all describe something that causes you physical pain.
    • painful causing you physical pain Painful can describe a part of the body, an illness, an injury, a treatment, or a death:Is your knee still painful? a series of painful injections a slow and painful death
    • sore (of a part of the body) painful and often red, especially because of infection or being used too much:a sore throat Their feet were sore after hours of walking.
    • raw (of a part of the body) red and painful, for example because of an infection or because the skin has been damaged:The skin on her heels had been rubbed raw.
    • inflamed (of a part of the body) painful, swollen, and hot because of an infection or injury:If your tonsils become inflamed, you should see a doctor.
    • infected containing harmful bacteria:The wound became infected.
    • excruciating extremely painful Excruciating can describe feelings, treatments, or death but not parts of the body:an excruciating throat/back/knee.
    • burning painful and giving a feeling of being very hot:She felt a burning sensation in her throat.
    • itchy giving an uncomfortable feeling on your skin that makes you want to scratch; having this feeling:an itchy rash I feel itchy all over.
    Patterns
    • sore/inflamed/itchy eyes
    • raw/inflamed/itchy skin
    • a painful/an excruciating death
    • a painful/burning sensation
    • excruciating/burning pain
  2. 2[not before noun] sore (at somebody/about something) (informal) upset and angry, especially because you have been treated unfairly synonym annoyed
soreness
 
jump to other results
 
noun [uncountable] an ointment to reduce soreness and swellingIdioms
a sight for sore eyes (informal)
 
jump to other results
a person or thing that you are pleased to see
a sore point
 
jump to other results
a subject that makes you feel angry or upset when it is mentioned It's a sore point with Sue's parents that the children have not been baptized yet.
stand/stick out like a sore thumb
 
jump to other results
to be very noticeable in an unpleasant way The blue building stood out like a sore thumb among the whitewashed villas. If you wear a suit to the party, you'll stand out like a sore thumb.See sore in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
Check pronunciation: sore

Nearby words