discomfort
n. C / Un. a feeling of slight pain or worry that makes you feel uneasy. You use this when something is not quite right, but it is not a major emergency.
n. a state of physical unease or mild pain; also refers to mental embarrassment or anxiety. Often used in medical contexts to describe sensations that fall short of acute pain.
The hard wooden chair caused him some discomfort.
Patients may experience mild discomfort for a few hours after the procedure, but it should fade quickly.
The CEO's refusal to address the allegations caused visible discomfort among the board members, leading to an awkward silence that lasted several minutes.
From Middle English discomforten, from Anglo-Norman descomforter, equivalent to dis- + comfort.
Uncountable when referring to a general state of unease; countable when referring to specific physical or mental instances.