What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Irritability vs Discomfort - What's the difference?

irritability | discomfort |

As nouns the difference between irritability and discomfort

is that irritability is the state or quality of being irritable; quick excitability; petulance; fretfulness; as, irritability of temper while discomfort is mental or bodily distress.

As a verb discomfort is

to cause annoyance or distress to.

irritability

English

Noun

  • The state or quality of being irritable; quick excitability; petulance; fretfulness; as, irritability of temper.
  • (physiology) A natural susceptibility, characteristic of all living organisms, tissues, and cells, to the influence of certain stimuli, response being manifested in a variety of ways.
  • * E. Darwin
  • We find a renitency in ourselves to ascribe life and irritability to the cold and motionless fibres of plants.
  • (medicine) A condition of morbid excitability of an organ or part of the body; undue susceptibility to the influence of stimuli.
  • References

    * *

    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