Synonyms for ache
- verb
- noun
Synonyms by meaning
Verb
1. Pain — to suffer pain; to be the source of, or be in, pain, especially continued dull pain; to be distressed
pain IN, anguish, hurt, suffer, agonize, agonise UK, passion, wound, displeasure, thole UK, sting, grieve, distress, wring, harrow
3. Torment — to cause someone or something to suffer pain
torment, pine, afflict, rack, irritate, aggrieve, excruciate
Other
Noun
Definitions
- v. 1
To suffer pain; to be the source of, or be in, pain, especially continued dull pain; to be distressed.
Every muscle in his body ached.
- v. 2
To cause someone or something to suffer pain.
- n. 1
Continued dull pain, as distinguished from sudden twinges, or spasmodic pain.
You may suffer a minor ache in your side.
Related words
- Word family
- acheless achesome achy
- Phrases
- stomach ache ache for
Choose the right word
Ache is lingering pain, more or less severe; pang, a pain short, sharp, intense, and perhaps repeated.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- hurt I don't want to hurt Tom, but I will if I have to.
- suffer The love that I suffer from is a shameful disease.
- anguish The source of my anguish is your lack of loyalty.
- agonize I hope we didn't agonize over this decision for nothing.
By length
- 3 letters
- yen1
- 4 letters
- pain1, hurt1, pine1, rack1
- 5 letters
- smart1, wound1, sting1, agony3, yearn1, wring1, thole1
- 6 letters
- suffer2, misery3, grieve1, harrow2
- 7 letters
- passion2, anguish2, torment2, afflict2, agonize3, agonise
- 8 letters
- distress2, irritate3, languish2, aggrieve2
- 9 letters
- suffering3
- 10 letters
- excruciate
- 11 letters
- displeasure3
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (agony3 = 3 syllables).