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

Survivor: Thailand The fake merge and brutal last challenge — where the final three had to hold coins between their fingers in a crazy painful pose — keep this dud out of the bottom spot. —Dalton Ross, EW.com, 12 Dec. 2024

Her symptoms were pretty challenging—a series of painful nodules that needed to be lanced and drained. —Julia Ries, SELF, 12 Dec. 2024

Divorce is a profoundly personal and often painful experience, made even more complex for entrepreneurs whose personal and business lives are closely intertwined. —Sara Khaki, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024

Being apart from them was a painful sacrifice, but the promise of Canadian residency for her and eventually her children seemed worth it. —Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 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