discomfortable
Making one squirm
Discomfortable means causing discomfort or unease—the adjective form that *uncomfortable* has largely displaced in modern English.
It survives in some dialects and older texts: The discomfortable silence stretched on.
When it appears today, it often sounds archaic or affected, though some speakers use it naturally to describe situations that produce physical or emotional discomfort.
Troubled by uncertainty
- uneasyTroubled, not calm
- distressedSuffering emotional turmoil
- troubledExperiencing distress or anxiety
- worriedTroubled by uncertainty
nervous · apprehensive · tense · agitated · unsettled · perturbed · fretful · disconcerted
Causing discomfort or distaste
- disagreeableCausing mild displeasure
- inhospitableUnwelcoming, harsh to visitors
- unwelcomingHostile to guests
- oppressiveUnjustly harsh or stifling
stifling · cramped · confining · jarring · grating · off-putting · disconcerting · unsettling
Lacking grace or ease
- self-consciousUncomfortably aware of oneself
- embarrassedSelf-consciously uncomfortable
- out-of-placeNot fitting the surroundings
- gaucheSocially awkward, unrefined
stilted · stiff · tactless · misfit · clumsy · fumbling · tongue-tied · cringe
anxious
Troubled by uncertainty
- uneasyTroubled, not calm
- distressedSuffering emotional turmoil
- troubledExperiencing distress or anxiety
worried · nervous · apprehensive · tense · agitated · unsettled · perturbed · fretful · disconcerted · disquieted
unpleasant
Causing discomfort or distaste
- disagreeableCausing mild displeasure
- inhospitableUnwelcoming, harsh to visitors
- unwelcomingHostile to guests
oppressive · stifling · cramped · confining · jarring · grating · off-putting · disconcerting · unsettling · troubling
awkward
Lacking grace or ease
- self-consciousUncomfortably aware of oneself
- embarrassedSelf-consciously uncomfortable
- out-of-placeNot fitting the surroundings
gauche · stilted · stiff · tactless · misfit · clumsy · fumbling · tongue-tied · cringe · squirm
ache
Persistent dull discomfort
cramping · tenderness · stiffness · chafing · pinching · bruising · inflammation · numbness · twinge · pang
discomfortablecomfortable
Physically at ease
comforting · cozy · snug · comfy · pleasant
discomfortablesoothing
Reducing distress or discomfort
comforting · reassuring · calming · pleasant · welcoming
comfort, comfortable, comforting, discomfort, uncomfortable, comforter, uncomfortably, discomforting, discomfiture