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Ease vs Discomfort - What's the difference?

ease | discomfort |

As nouns the difference between ease and discomfort

is that ease is the state of being comfortable or free from stress while discomfort is mental or bodily distress.

As verbs the difference between ease and discomfort

is that ease is to free (something) from pain, worry, agitation, etc while discomfort is to cause annoyance or distress to.

ease

English

Noun

(-)
  • The state of being comfortable or free from stress.
  • She enjoyed the ease of living in a house where the servants did all the work.
  • Freedom from pain, worry, agitation, etc.
  • ''His mind was at ease when he received his pension.
  • Freedom from effort, difficulty or hardship.
  • He passed all the exams with ease .
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=November 11 , author=Rory Houston , title=Estonia 0-4 Republic of Ireland , work=RTE Sport citation , page= , passage=Walters tried a long range shot in the third minute as he opened the game sharply, linking well with Robbie Keane, but goalkeeper Sergei Pareiko gathered the ball with ease .}}
  • Dexterity or facility.
  • He played the organ with ease .
  • Affluence and freedom from financial problems.
  • After winning the jackpot, she lived a life of luxurious ease .
  • Relaxation, rest and leisure.
  • We took our ease on the patio.
  • (clothing) Additional space to allow movement within a garment.
  • to add ease to a waist measurement

    Synonyms

    * (state of being comfortable or free from stress) comfort, peace * peace of mind * (dexterity or facility) dexterity, facility, skill * free time, leisure, relaxation, rest

    Derived terms

    * chapel of ease * at ease * ease of use

    References

    Verb

    (eas)
  • To free (something) from pain, worry, agitation, etc.
  • He eased his conscience by confessing.
  • * '>citation
  • Elyse Saugstad, a professional skier, wore a backpack equipped with an air bag, a relatively new and expensive part of the arsenal that backcountry users increasingly carry to ease their minds and increase survival odds in case of an avalanche.
  • To alleviate, assuage or lessen (pain).
  • ''He loosened his shoe to ease the pain.
  • To give respite to (someone).
  • The provision of extra staff eased their workload.
  • To loosen or slacken the tension on (something).
  • We eased the rope, then lowered the sail.
  • To reduce the difficulty of (something).
  • We had to ease the entry requirements.
  • To move (something) slowly and carefully.
  • He eased the cork from the bottle.
  • To lessen in severity.
  • The pain eased overnight.
  • To proceed with little effort.
  • The car eased onto the motorway.

    Synonyms

    * assuage, salve * alleviate, assuage, lessen, reduce * give someone a break (informal), lay off (informal) * loosen, relax, slacken * simplify * (lessen in severity) lessen, reduce * (proceed with little effort) cruise

    discomfort

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Mental or bodily distress.
  • Something that disturbs one’s comfort; an annoyance.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-29, volume=407, issue=8842, page=55, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= Travels and travails , passage=Even without hovering drones, a lurking assassin, a thumping score and a denouement, the real-life story of Edward Snowden, a rogue spy on the run, could be straight out of the cinema. But, as with Hollywood, the subplots and exotic locations may distract from the real message: America’s discomfort and its foes’ glee.}}

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To cause annoyance or distress to.
  • (obsolete) To discourage; to deject.
  • * Shakespeare
  • His funeral shall not be in our camp, / Lest it discomfort us.

    Usage notes

    As a verb, the unrelated term discomfit is often used instead, largely interchangeably, though this is proscribed by some as an error, (term) originally meaning “destroy”, not “distress”.

    Derived terms

    * discomforter

    See also

    * discomfit