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
Particles in wildfire smoke can cause respiratory troubles including chest pains, a fast heartbeat or an asthma attack, experts say. — Susan Scutti, CNN, "McKinley Fire in Alaska threatens more than 1,000 structures as wildfires rage in a dozen states," 21 Aug. 2019 For example, psychologist Edwin Shneidman proposed in the 1990s that a key factor uniting suicides is psychological pain, or psychache. — Kelly Servick, Science | AAAS, "Suicide attempts are hard to anticipate. A study that tracks teens’ cellphone use aims to change that," 21 Aug. 2019 In extreme and potentially deadly cases, the WHO notes symptoms will transition into severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, rapid breathing, bleeding gums, and blood in vomit, as well as fatigue and restlessness. — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE.com, "Former Ski Champion, 36, Dies from Mosquito-Borne Illness While Traveling in Mexico," 21 Aug. 2019 No more pain, no more suffering and praise Him no more cancer. — Creg Stephenson | Cstephenson@al.com, al, "Wendy Anderson, wife of Arkansas State football coach, dies after 2-year battle with cancer," 20 Aug. 2019 Fraihat, 57, who has back and knee pain, said he was given a wheelchair but it was taken away after a month. — Amy Taxin, BostonGlobe.com, "Detained immigrants sue over conditions, medical care," 20 Aug. 2019 The girl told the witness to report the incident to police and the witness said the girl did not appear to be injured or in any pain, the report said. — Zach Murdock, courant.com, "Hartford police officer under internal investigation after on-duty incident involving juvenile ex-girlfriend," 20 Aug. 2019 Wisconsin state health officials say both pediatric and adult patients are exhibiting symptoms including shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain, cough and weight loss. — Jamie Ducharme, Time, "Nearly 100 People Have Reported Lung Diseases That May Be Linked to Vaping, and the CDC Is Getting Involved," 19 Aug. 2019 In many of the illnesses, people experience shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain, cough, and weight loss, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported in its outbreak investigation notice. — Beth Mole, Ars Technica, "Vaping linked to 94 mysterious cases of severe lung disease in 14 states," 19 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
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. 2018 Wenger also revealed how much each defeat pains him, calling every loss a 'scar'. — SI.com, "Arsene Wenger Indicates Arsenal May Not Be the Last Club He Manages," 28 Mar. 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