smarting

ADJECTIVE

painful

Synonyms

STRONG

aching agonizing biting burning caustic distressing excruciating extreme harrowing hurting inflamed irritated nagging piercing raw saddening sensitive sharp sore stinging tender throbbing tormenting trying

WEAK

achy afflictive arduous awful difficult dire disagreeable distasteful dreadful extremely bad grievous hard hurtful laborious severe tedious terrible troublesome uncomfortable unpleasant vexatious

Antonyms

STRONG

bland calm experienced good healthy kind low mild moderate nice pleasant pleasing soothing unfeeling

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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smarting

Americans accustomed to free and easy returns are now smarting from surprise fees, shorter return windows, delayed refunds and more questions about their reasons for sending products back.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

Drake is smarting, and he spreads that hurt across more than an hour in the trilogy’s marquee album “Iceman.”

From Salon ● May 21, 2026

Ireland come into the match smarting from their 36-14 loss to France in their tournament opener last week.

From Barron's ● Feb. 12, 2026

It clearly left him smarting and he's not had a good word to say about wind power since.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2025

It had started the cut to smarting again so when I went to wash I hung the vest on a chair and lowered the light cord so that the bulb would be drying the splotch.

From "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner

smarting

Example Sentences

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