discomfort

Everyday

1. Discomfort is a feeling of mild pain or not feeling comfortable in your body. tree →
2. Discomfort is a feeling of worry or embarrassment. tree →

In the lessons

In health lessons and at the doctor's, «some discomfort» is a gentle way to describe mild pain (a euphemism for «it may hurt a bit»). In stories a character feels discomfort when embarrassed or uneasy.

Examples

• The injection may cause a little discomfort. tree →
• He shifted in his seat in discomfort. tree →
• Tight shoes cause discomfort when you walk. tree →
• She felt discomfort when everyone stared at her. tree →
• Tell the nurse if you feel any discomfort. tree →
• The heat caused great discomfort to the animals. tree →
• So there he sat groaning and moaning, both from the discomfort inside him and his anxiety to escape from the basket. tree →

Note

Mostly uncountable. The prefix dis- means «not». Doctors say «discomfort» when they mean some pain, so it can be softer than the truth.