1
a(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
Morley Callaghan2
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/buttMichael CahlinHis little sister is a real pain in the neck.
3
pains plural
: trouble, care, or effort taken to accomplish something
was at pains to reassure us
4
pains plural
: the throes of childbirth
5
: punishment
the pains and penalties of crime
pained; paining; pains
1
: to make suffer or cause distress to : hurt
2
archaic
: to put (oneself) to trouble or exertion
Synonyms
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 WebAmber Ferguson, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
With symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and nausea, norovirus can often be confused for other gastrointestinal viruses, according to Ashley Drews, MD, system epidemiologist and medical director of infection prevention and control at Houston Methodist.
—Rachel Murphy, Verywell Health, 5 Apr. 2024
The duality of life & death, pain & joy, yin & yang, need to exist along side each other or none of this would have any meaning.
—Sadie Bell, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
The first initiative likely to generate new trials is the Novel Innovations for Tissue Regeneration in Osteoarthritis, which is currently seeking proposals for injectable drugs that could help ease the pain felt by millions of Americans due to deteriorated joints.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2024
There was no anesthesia or medication for pain relief.
—USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
Both proposals would require APRNs providing pain management to collaborate with a physician, but the governor's version included an additional requirement that the physician must specialize in pain medicine.
—Jessie Opoien, Journal Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2024
Worsening chronic pain transformed getting dressed from a pleasure to a fraught challenge.
—Caroline Reilly, SELF, 4 Apr. 2024
Mifepristone’s safety is on par with those of common over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen, studies show.
—Jen Christensen, CNN, 25 Mar. 2024
Ryan Reed, SPIN, 27 Mar. 2024
His feet, hobbled and pained from living on the street, were a constant burden.
—Brammhi Balarajan, CNN, 25 Feb. 2024
Take Super Bowl 58’s most comparable predecessor — San Francisco’s 20-16 victory in Super Bowl 23, a defeat for a Cincinnati Bengals club led by coach Sam Wyche and quarterback Boomer Esiason that surely stung as much Sunday’s loss pained the Niners.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2024
And pain the delicious treat with a cup of hot cocoa, jazzed up with a signature marshmallow fluff in vanilla or peppermint.
—Michelle Jenkins, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024
Other studies have found similar results, suggesting that these animals can create complex relationships to pain like vertebrate animals.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Ars Technica, 7 Oct. 2023
Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky, chairman of the Chabad-Lubavitch headquarters, said in a statement Monday that although the movement’s community was pained by the damage to the building, it has also been moved by an outpouring of support.
—Praveena Somasundaram, Washington Post, 10 Jan. 2024
Some of the bombs that fell around him were U.S.-made; he was pained by the Biden administration’s refusal to join international calls for a cease-fire.
—Hannah Allam, Washington Post, 23 Dec. 2023
For starters, several surgeons complained that the knee implants loosened prematurely, causing patients pain and limiting their ability to move around, court records allege.
—Fred Schulte, CBS News, 10 Oct. 2023
Noun
Evelyn had initially mistaken the throbbing for gallbladder pain.
—Amber Ferguson, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
With symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and nausea, norovirus can often be confused for other gastrointestinal viruses, according to Ashley Drews, MD, system epidemiologist and medical director of infection prevention and control at Houston Methodist.
—Rachel Murphy, Verywell Health, 5 Apr. 2024
The duality of life & death, pain & joy, yin & yang, need to exist along side each other or none of this would have any meaning.
—Sadie Bell, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
The first initiative likely to generate new trials is the Novel Innovations for Tissue Regeneration in Osteoarthritis, which is currently seeking proposals for injectable drugs that could help ease the pain felt by millions of Americans due to deteriorated joints.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2024
There was no anesthesia or medication for pain relief.
—USA TODAY, 5 Apr. 2024
Both proposals would require APRNs providing pain management to collaborate with a physician, but the governor's version included an additional requirement that the physician must specialize in pain medicine.
—Jessie Opoien, Journal Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2024
Worsening chronic pain transformed getting dressed from a pleasure to a fraught challenge.
—Caroline Reilly, SELF, 4 Apr. 2024
Mifepristone’s safety is on par with those of common over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen and acetaminophen, studies show.
—Jen Christensen, CNN, 25 Mar. 2024
Verb
Saturday, March 23 Saturday was so stacked, I was forced to skip multiple shows that still pain me to ponder.
—Ryan Reed, SPIN, 27 Mar. 2024
His feet, hobbled and pained from living on the street, were a constant burden.
—Brammhi Balarajan, CNN, 25 Feb. 2024
Take Super Bowl 58’s most comparable predecessor — San Francisco’s 20-16 victory in Super Bowl 23, a defeat for a Cincinnati Bengals club led by coach Sam Wyche and quarterback Boomer Esiason that surely stung as much Sunday’s loss pained the Niners.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2024
And pain the delicious treat with a cup of hot cocoa, jazzed up with a signature marshmallow fluff in vanilla or peppermint.
—Michelle Jenkins, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024
Other studies have found similar results, suggesting that these animals can create complex relationships to pain like vertebrate animals.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Ars Technica, 7 Oct. 2023
Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky, chairman of the Chabad-Lubavitch headquarters, said in a statement Monday that although the movement’s community was pained by the damage to the building, it has also been moved by an outpouring of support.
—Praveena Somasundaram, Washington Post, 10 Jan. 2024
Some of the bombs that fell around him were U.S.-made; he was pained by the Biden administration’s refusal to join international calls for a cease-fire.
—Hannah Allam, Washington Post, 23 Dec. 2023
For starters, several surgeons complained that the knee implants loosened prematurely, causing patients pain and limiting their ability to move around, court records allege.
—Fred Schulte, CBS News, 10 Oct. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pain.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near pain
Cite this Entry
“Pain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pain. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pain
1 of 2 noun1
: punishment sense 2
under pain of death
2
a
: physical suffering associated with disease, injury, or other bodily disorder
a pain in the back
b
: a basic bodily sensation that is caused by something harmful, is accompanied by physical discomfort (as pricking, throbbing, or aching), and usually makes one try to escape its source
3
: mental distress : grief
4
plural
: the suffering experienced during childbirth
5
plural
: great care or effort
took pains with their work
painlessly
adverb
pain
2 of 2 verb1
: to cause pain in or to : hurt
2
: to give or feel pain
Medical Definition
pain
1 of 2 noun1
a(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 (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 (as pricking, throbbing, or aching), and typically leads to evasive action
b
: mental or emotional distress or suffering
2
pains plural
: the protracted series of involuntary contractions of the uterine musculature that constitute the major factor in parturient labor and that are often accompanied by considerable pain
her pains had begun
pain
2 of 2 transitive verb
: to make suffer or cause distress to
: to give or have a sensation of pain
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