Summary: More than half of participants (65%) with chronic pain endorsed descriptors in all 3 categories at baseline (n=560 participants with chronic pain, out of n=722 total participants included at baseline. No clear etiology or diagnosis could be linked to any pain quality perhaps because of this high prevalence of variability in pain quality descriptors endorsed by older adults. Only modest differences were observed between categories in the prevalence of severe pain and interference, widespread pain, and severe disability in all 3 domains at baseline. The characteristics and correlates among those with persistent pain quality were similar across categories. After adjusting for sociodemographics, health characteristics and chronic conditions, older adults with persistent pain quality in any category had a two-fold or higher risk of developing new or worsening disability in all 3 domains compared to those without pain. Those with the most variability in their descriptions (all three categories) had the highest prevalence of disability in all three domains at baseline, and if persistent over 18 months, were at increased risk for developing disability compared to those with less variation in their descriptions of pain. These findings are applicable to current clinical practice for pain assessment and future investigations to determine risk factor profiles for disability in older adults.