smarting

USAGE SUMMARY

"smarting" is a correct and usable word in written English.
It can be used as a verb or a noun and means to feel a stinging sensation usually caused by pain or discomfort. Example sentence: After scraping her knee, she was smarting from the pain.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Perhaps because they were smarting over their failure to find anything they could stick him with over the PACER downloads, it seems the federal prosecutors had little desire to let him off lightly.

The Guardian - Tech

The US soccer stars were still smarting from a loss on penalties to Japan in the 2011 Women's World Cup final when they joined the show.

The Guardian - Sport

For Kenyans smarting from their athletes' failure to live up to admittedly sky-high expectations, David Rudisha's world record-breaking gold medal win in the 800m final shone all the brighter.

The Guardian - Sport

Daimler, making good profits but still smarting from the failure of its merger with Chrysler, is edging towards a closer relationship with the Renault-Nissan-AvtoVAZ alliance.

The Economist

But Mr Hun Sen's reputation does not scrub up quite so easily.In this section Goodbye clenched fist, hello sweaty palm Ceremonial time Ma the bumbler The Kamikaze election A tale of two villages Tenth out of ten ReprintsASEAN is still smarting from the debacle of its annual security forum and foreign ministers' meeting in Phnom Penh in July.

The Economist

Its members are still smarting over their failure for the first time in the organisation's 45-year history to agree on a joint statement after their annual foreign ministers' meeting, which they held last month in Phnom Penh.

The Economist

Analysts estimate that DaimlerChrysler has already lost nearly $1 billion on the Smart, with no end to the bleeding in sight.In this section Smarting Going for broke Confucius rules at GKN Oil's taxing times A phone farce in Russia Made (badly) in Japan Risky business Microsoft's blank screen Whatever happened to WebTV?

The Economist

And a recent Czech-German reconciliation accord, several painful years in the making, has finally bandaged wounds left smarting on both sides since 1945.

The Economist

Still smarting from a hiding at the polls and a corruption scandal that seemed briefly to threaten his cabinet, the hapless Mr Mori has had to endure yet more abuse for his government's decision to bail out Sogo, a hopelessly indebted retailer.

The Economist

President George Bush, still smarting from a torrent of criticism of his government's clumsy response to Hurricane Katrina, has promised to rush out emergency plans for dealing with an outbreak of pandemic flu which have been stalled for years.

The Economist

Still smarting from what they regarded as unfair treatment in the earlier Uruguay round of trade talks which were concluded in 1994, they moaned about the iniquities of past trade deals and focused on minimising their responsibilities in the Doha round.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "smarting" to convey both physical and emotional pain, but be mindful of the context. It's particularly effective when describing a lingering sense of hurt or resentment after a specific event.

Common error

Avoid using "smarting" when the situation involves general disappointment or sadness without a specific cause or recent event that triggered the feeling. "Smarting" implies a direct cause and effect.

Linguistic Context

The word "smarting" primarily functions as a verb (present participle) or an adjective. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in both forms. As a verb, it describes the act of feeling a sharp pain or emotional distress. As an adjective, it characterizes something as causing or experiencing such pain.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

3%

Reference

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "smarting" is a versatile word used to describe a state of physical or emotional pain, often lingering after a specific incident. Ludwig AI validates its grammatical correctness, functioning primarily as a verb or adjective. It is most commonly found in news and media contexts, suggesting a neutral to formal register. When choosing alternatives, consider nuances like the duration and intensity of the pain, with options such as ""still hurting"" or ""feeling resentful"" offering subtly different connotations. Be mindful of using "smarting" only when there is a direct cause for the pain to avoid misuse.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

feeling the sting

Directly captures the sensation of being hurt or affected negatively, with a nuance on the immediate unpleasantness.

still hurting

Highlights the emotional pain that persists after an event, downplaying any physical discomfort.

aching from

Relates more to a dull, persistent pain, which can be physical or emotional, differing slightly from the sharp, immediate sensation of "smarting".

feeling resentful

Focuses on the lingering feeling of indignation or displeasure after something has occurred, rather than the immediate pain or soreness.

harboring bitterness

Emphasizes the long-term holding of negative emotions, particularly resentment and animosity.

reeling from

Indicates a state of shock or disorientation after a negative experience, similar to the initial impact of "smarting".

nursing a wound

Implies a careful tending to emotional or physical pain, prolonging the experience of "smarting".

bearing the brunt

Focuses on enduring the main force or impact of something unpleasant, often suggesting a sense of unfairness.

suffering the effects

Emphasizes the consequences of an action or event, rather than the emotional or physical sensation.

affected by

General term indicating influence or impact, lacking the specific negative connotations of "smarting".

FAQs

How can I use "smarting" in a sentence?

You can use "smarting" to describe a lingering feeling of emotional pain or a physical stinging sensation. For example, "The team was still "smarting" from their defeat." or "Her eyes were "smarting" from the smoke."

What are some alternatives to using "smarting"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "still hurting", "feeling resentful", or "reeling from".

Which is correct, "smarting from" or "smarting by"?

"Smarting from" is the more common and grammatically appropriate choice when indicating the cause of the pain or discomfort. While "smarting by" might occasionally appear, it's not standard usage.

What's the difference between "smarting" and "aching"?

"Smarting" suggests a sharp, stinging pain or a fresh emotional wound, while "aching" implies a dull, persistent pain or a long-lasting sorrow. You are "smarting" after a recent insult, but "aching" from a past loss.