as in hurt
to feel or cause physical pain
my feet ache from all that walking
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ached
The marathon was less than three days away, and his knee ached.
—
Dan Pompei, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
The next morning, my joints ached as if I had been struck repeatedly with a bag of wet sand.
—Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
Her joints ached, and her legs were frequently taut with fluid.
—Jason Liebowitz, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026
Was that his real face, the face that ached?
—Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
That hand must have ached profoundly by the time the group departed.
—Harold Holzer, New York Daily News, 8 Feb. 2026
As his wrist and back still ached from the treehouse fall, Smith’s heart broke next.
—Andrew Callahan, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2026
Despite finishing the course of her meds, the bleeding didn’t stop, and McClellan became abnormally fatigued and her lower back ached.
—Julia Sullivan, SELF, 4 Feb. 2026
Her hand and arm cramped, her shoulder ached, and her knee throbbed, all while the rain soaked through their clothes.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
Dan Pompei, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026
The next morning, my joints ached as if I had been struck repeatedly with a bag of wet sand.
—Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026
Her joints ached, and her legs were frequently taut with fluid.
—Jason Liebowitz, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026
Was that his real face, the face that ached?
—Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
That hand must have ached profoundly by the time the group departed.
—Harold Holzer, New York Daily News, 8 Feb. 2026
As his wrist and back still ached from the treehouse fall, Smith’s heart broke next.
—Andrew Callahan, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2026
Despite finishing the course of her meds, the bleeding didn’t stop, and McClellan became abnormally fatigued and her lower back ached.
—Julia Sullivan, SELF, 4 Feb. 2026
Her hand and arm cramped, her shoulder ached, and her knee throbbed, all while the rain soaked through their clothes.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ached
Verb
-
It was later changed due to players getting hurt.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
-
However, having players of those caliber on the court, both of whom have either been to the NBA Finals or won it, certainly shouldn't hurt.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Her hand and arm cramped, her shoulder ached, and her knee throbbed, all while the rain soaked through their clothes.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The upper blocks throbbed and pulsed a deep blue, reflecting the pond’s windblown currents.—
Jack Korngold,
Rolling Stone,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The only recourse those unregulated bookmakers had when their Spidey-senses tingled was to simply stop taking bets on the suspicious game.—
David Hill,
Rolling Stone,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But the record is far less gothic than its predecessor, less obviously pained.—
Ben Cardew,
Pitchfork,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Missing Barcelona pained Vowles and Williams as a whole.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ached.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ached. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
