# discomfort

/dɪˈskəmfɝt/ (US) · /dɪskˈʌmfət/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/discomfort
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. physical or mental unease

noun · CEFR B2

a feeling of slight pain or worry that makes you feel uneasy.

For teachers: a state of physical or psychological distress that is typically less intense than acute pain or suffering.

- The patient reported some mild discomfort in his shoulder after the surgery.
- While the procedure is generally painless, patients may experience significant discomfort as the local anaesthetic begins to wear off.

Usage: Often used as an uncountable noun for the general feeling, but can be countable when referring to specific instances.

### 2. an annoyance

noun · CEFR B2

something that makes you feel uncomfortable or annoyed.

For teachers: an external circumstance or object that disturbs one's comfort or convenience.

- The lack of air conditioning was a major discomfort during the summer heatwave.
- The explorers endured the discomforts of the damp cave for three days while waiting for the storm to pass.

Usage: Commonly used in the plural ('discomforts') to describe difficult living conditions.

### 3. to make someone uneasy

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to make someone feel worried, embarrassed, or physically uncomfortable.

For teachers: to cause a person to feel distress, embarrassment, or lack of ease.

- The sudden silence in the room seemed to discomfort the speaker.
- The prosecutor's aggressive line of questioning was clearly intended to discomfort the witness and undermine her composure.

Usage: This transitive verb is less common than the noun form and often appears in formal or literary contexts.

## Examples

- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.