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 of painful

• sore
• aching
• hurting

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

Around two months after her breast augmentation, Sandra said her right side became painful, and the skin was turning yellow-brown and purple like a bruise. — Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 13 July 2026

Prior studies of scans have found that such tears are common in people over 50, the result of wear and tear and often not painful. — Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal, CBS News, 13 July 2026

As if even Tuchel himself could not reverse the gravitational pull of these long, painful nights. — Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 12 July 2026

Biomimicked medical glue, inspired by the slime of a common garden slug (Arion subfuscus), can bond to bloody tissue and holds great promise for surgical applications and the treatment of painful lesions. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing painful

• painful to the touch

Rhymes for painful

• baneful
• gainful
• disdainful

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