smarting

S1M3A1R1T1I1N1G2
/ˈsmɑɹtɪŋ/

adjective

Painful, sore.

“My arm is still smarting from where the ball hit it.”

Similar
achingsmartfulachesomeachyrawhurthurtygriefful
OriginMiddle English smertyng ← Old English smeortung →
UncommonScrabble 11
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Meanings

adjectivesmarting (comparative more smarting, superlative most smarting)

comparative more smarting · superlative most smarting

  1. Painful, sore.

    My arm is still smarting from where the ball hit it.

    Synonyms: aching, smartful, achesome, aching, achy, raw, hurt, hurty

  2. figurativelyExperiencing emotional pain or embarrassment.

    Synonyms: ashamed, pained

verb
  1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of smart
nounsmarting (countable and uncountable, plural smartings)

plural smartings

  1. countableuncountableA sensation that smarts or stings.

    Strong they are; for they trample upon our light, the penalties of laws divine and human; yea, and the smartings of our own conscience.

    1714, Thomas Halyburton, Natural Religion Insufficient, and Revealed Religion Necessary, to Man's Happiness in his Present State

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivePainful, sore.

Similar
achingsmartfulachesomeachingachyrawhurthurtygrieffulpainedpainfilledpainfulsmartfulsoresufferingtendertormented

adjectiveExperiencing emotional pain or embarrassment.

Similar
ashamedpained

More synonyms by meaning

nouna kind of pain such as that caused by a wound or a burn or a sore

Similar
smartsmartness
Broader
painhurting
Also see
achesomeachingachyhurthurtypainedpainfilledpainfulsmartsmartfulsmartnesssoresuffering

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Old Englishsmeortung
  2. Middle Englishsmertyng
  3. Englishsmarting

From Middle English smertyng, smertinge, from Old English smeortung, smertung (“smarting, itching”), equivalent to smart + -ing.

More words from Middle English, Old English

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish kipeä
  • kipeäpainful, sore
Māori puia
  • puiapainful, sore

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Grantism
Cite this entry
APA

smarting. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/smarting

MLA

“smarting.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/smarting. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “smarting,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/smarting.

Source: smarting on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.