pain
noun
\ ˈpān
\
\
Definition of pain
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: punishment
the pains and penalties of crime
2a(1)
: a localized or generalized unpleasant bodily sensation or complex of sensations that causes mild to severe physical discomfort and emotional distress and typically results from bodily disorder (such as injury or disease)
acute shooting pains
also
: the state marked by the presence of such sensations
was in constant pain
(2)
: a basic bodily sensation that is induced by a noxious stimulus, is received by naked nerve endings, is associated with actual or potential tissue damage, is characterized by physical discomfort (such as pricking, throbbing, or aching), and typically leads to evasive action
b
: mental or emotional distress or suffering : grief
the pain she had felt at those humiliating words— Morley Callaghan
3
pains plural
: the throes of childbirth
4
pains plural
: trouble, care, or effort taken to accomplish something
was at pains to reassure us
5
informal
: one that irks or annoys or is otherwise troublesome
… almost everything requires a password these days, and it can be a real pain to remember them all.— Michael Cahlin
—often used in such phrases as pain in the neck or (impolite) pain in the ass/butt His little sister is a real pain in the neck.
on pain of
or under pain of
: subject to penalty or punishment of
made to leave the country on pain of death
pain
verb
pained;
paining;
pains
Definition of pain (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: to make suffer or cause distress to : hurt
2
archaic
: to put (oneself) to trouble or exertion
Keep scrolling for more
Other Words from pain
Noun
painless
\ ˈpān-ləs
\
adjective
\
adjective
painlessly
adverb
painlessness
noun
Synonyms for pain
Synonyms: Noun
ache, pang, prick, shoot, smart, sting, stitch, throe, tingle, twinge
Synonyms: Verb
Visit the Thesaurus for More
Examples of pain in a Sentence
Noun
The medication may upset your stomach but if you experience acute abdominal pain call your doctor. I've had chronic back pain since the accident. The medicine provides 12 hours of pain relief. I feel a dull pain if I touch the bruise. the pain of a difficult childhood It is a story about the joys and pains of life. Rush hour traffic is such a pain. This orange is a pain to peel.Verb
As much as it pains me to admit it, she was right. my poor head was paining so from all that racket
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Sometimes the best leaders are the leaders who can jump through the glass window and feel the pain two days from now. — Kaitlin Mccallum, courant.com, "Defiant, black and queer, Hartford dancer and artist Arien Wilkerson demands access to an audience," 4 Sep. 2019 For years, everyone also felt the sharp pain of money woes. — Nanette Asimov, SFChronicle.com, "UC Berkeley chancellor confronts diversity, housing challenges as classes resume," 2 Sep. 2019 If consumers reel back spending on the back of Washington's trade tactics, the economy could feel some serious pain. — Julia Horowitz, CNN, "This weekend's tariffs are not like the others," 1 Sep. 2019 Pharmaceutical fentanyl is used to treat severe pain. — NBC News, "Feds announce seizure of enough fentanyl to kill 14 million people, 35 arrested," 30 Aug. 2019 Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that can treat severe pain. — Fox News, "Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs died of accidental overdose: coroner," 30 Aug. 2019 This means many companies haven’t yet felt the pain of the latest bout of pound weakness this summer. — Los Angeles Times, "As Britain staggers toward Brexit, the pound’s wild ride creates winners and losers," 29 Aug. 2019 The situation shocked and incensed long-suffering Jets fans, who feel the pain to this day. — SI.com, "A History of Football in 100 Objects," 28 Aug. 2019 Oklahoma argued the companies and their subsidiaries created a public nuisance by launching an aggressive and misleading marketing campaign that overstated how effective the drugs were for treating chronic pain and understated the risk of addiction. — Fortune, "Johnson & Johnson Helped Drive Oklahoma’s Drug Crisis, Judge Rules," 26 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Related Articles Martin’s boyfriend told police that his girlfriend is addicted to pain medication. — Sarah Horner, Twin Cities, "Little Canada woman stabbed friend to death while high on meth, charges say," 6 Aug. 2019 In general, neck pain refers to pain anywhere from the area at the base of the skull into the shoulders. — Stephanie Mansour, NBC News, "5 stretches that will relieve neck pain and tension," 14 Aug. 2019 Joe Kovacs was second at 73-2 ½, and Darrell Hill third at 72-6 ½. That Crouser was there to throw at all is a tribute to pain tolerance and modern medicine. — oregonlive.com, "Ryan Crouser rises to the moment, wins the shot at the USATF Outdoor Championships," 26 July 2019 The new study tested the rival drug, Praluent, for a longer time and in patients at higher risk — nearly 19,000 people who in the previous year had a heart attack or chest pain serious enough to put them in the hospital. — Washington Post, "Study: Cholesterol drug lowers risk of death, heart attack," 10 Mar. 2018 How ought outspoken survivors all feel, having aired indignities and pain publicly and across generations, to receive lip service from politicians, but ultimately see justice evaporate again? — Sarah Stankorb, Glamour, "Are Hashtags Like #MeToo and #BelieveWomen Hurting or Helping Survivors?," 15 Oct. 2018 Families say the way they were notified ends up being the searing, specific detail that pains them long after their loved one is buried. — Christie Thompson, sacbee, "Your loved one dies. The prison leaves a voicemail," 22 June 2018 And while Kerr was more than happy to be part of the tribute, the reality that these sorts of tributes are becoming so commonplace pains him. — Sam Amick, USA TODAY, "Steve Kerr on Rockets' Santa Fe shooting tribute: 'Agonizing' that it will happen again," 24 May 2018 But what pains her even more is that the party that claims black women are its backbone is also undermining them. — Terrell Jermaine Starr, The Root, "The Progressive Revolution Is Being Led by a Black Woman," 10 Apr. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pain.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more