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stomach ache

stomach ache

11 1.0
A pain in the stomach that makes you feel sick
  • noun
  • /ˈstʌmək eɪk/
translation icon : dolor de estómago
  • I often get a stomach ache after eating too many sweets.
  • get a stomach ache
  • complaining about a stomach ache
  • a bad stomach ache

Basically, if you were feeling sick, you had a stomach ache and someone said, well, drink sugar water.

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Examples

  • Every time that I have a stomach ache, I take something and then I feel better.

  • I thought she had a stomach ache.

  • Do you have a stomach ache?

  • No, it's a stomach ache.

  • I drink this whenever I have a stomach ache.

  • - God, I've got a stomach ache now.

  • I had a stomach ache, Sister Hildegarde.

  • Besides, she felt too grotty to go and find the kit, and she was developing a stomach ache.

    Academic text (2012)
  • One of the most successful treatments I have found pulls toxins out of the system and relieves stomach aches.

    Blog text (22)
  • On top of that, I've been dealing with some odd stomach aches, dizziness, and nausea for the last week—probably also stress-induced.

    Blog text (5)

Synonyms

indigestion
vsstomach ache
35 3.4

Stomach pain after eating, often with heartburn or feeling sick

is a general pain term not tied to digestion problems
abdominal pain
vsstomach ache
33 2.5

A feeling of hurt in the stomach area between the chest and hips

focuses more narrowly on pain felt in the digestive area
stomachache
vsstomach ache
18 1.3

A pain in the stomach or belly that makes you uncomfortable

has identical meaning but is written as two separate words
upset stomach
vsstomach ache
9 2.6

A mild pain or feeling of sickness in the stomach

emphasizes direct pain rather than a broader digestive upset
bellyache
vsstomach ache
5 3.2

A pain in the stomach or tummy

is the neutral everyday term rather than an informal one
stomach upset
vsstomach ache
2 2.6

A mild stomach pain that often makes you feel sick or causes heartburn

centres on direct abdominal pain rather than general digestive symptoms
abdominal discomfort
vsstomach ache
1 4.4

A pain or uncomfortable feeling in the stomach area

denotes clearer pain rather than a vague uneasy sensation
gastralgia
vsstomach ache
  • Specialized
9.9

A pain in the stomach area

is the common nontechnical way to describe that same pain

Antonyms

440 1.0

A feeling of comfort when pain or worry goes away

190 1.0

A feeling of physical ease and being free from pain

How Painful

stomach ache
11 1.0
discomfort
119 3.2

Surface Forms

stomach ache singular
stomach aches plural
stomachaches plural
stomachache singular

Morphology

stomach + ache

The phrase is fully compositional: 'stomach' (the organ) + 'ache' (a pain) directly denotes pain in the stomach area. This straightforward noun + noun combination is cross-linguistically common and a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Stomach ache is a simple, literal picture: your stomach has a bad ache, as if something inside is hurting. So it means 'a pain in the stomach'.