painful

adjective

pain·​ful ˈpān-fəl 

painfuller ˈpān-fə-lər  ; painfullest

1

a

: feeling or giving pain

a painful injury

b

: irksome, annoying

2

: requiring effort or exertion

a long painful trip

3

archaic : careful, diligent

painfully

ˈpān-f(ə-)lē 

adverb

painfulness

ˈpān-fəl-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• aching
• achy
• afflictive
• hurting
• nasty
• sore

Examples of painful in a Sentence

I got a painful sunburn.

We can't ignore our country's painful history of slavery.

His questions brought up a lot of painful memories.

It was painful to watch.

Recent Examples on the Web

This bloating is often painful and is usually accompanied by chronic constipation and/or diarrhea, gas, belching, and sometimes weight changes, nausea and reflux. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024

Ryan McLean, a New York City fireman who donated bone marrow to a three-year-old child in 2022, says the process was quick and easy, not painful and with a long recovery period as donors are often led to believe. —Pia Velasco, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2024

The impact was profound and Jones said he was left with painful memories of the trips to the psychiatric hospital, unsure exactly why his mother couldn’t come home with him. —Steve Marble, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024

The rash for chickenpox is very itchy, while the shingles rash is known to be quite painful. —Carrie Madormo, Rn, Health, 3 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing painful

• painful to the touch

Kids Definition

painful

adjective

pain·​ful ˈpān-fəl 

: feeling or giving pain

painfully

-f(ə-)lē 

adverb

painfulness

-fəl-nəs 

noun

Medical Definition

painful

adjective

pain·​ful ˈpān-fəl 

painfuller -fə-lər  ; painfullest

: feeling or giving pain

painfully

-f(ə-)lē 

adverb