pain point

noun

plural pain points

: a persistent or recurring problem (as with a product or service) that frequently inconveniences or annoys customers

When you're in an established market, you have an established customer; their needs and pain points are clearly laid out on your competitors' review sites.

—Billy Polson

Customer service, which has been a pain point of bigger banks for years, is also improving in that it's getting faster and requires little from you.

—Chris Welch

broadly : something that is a recurring source of trouble, annoyance, or distress

Meanwhile, ironing is a pain point with her boyfriend because she loves the look of a crisply pressed men's shirt. "He never irons his shirts and it drives me crazy," she [Elyse Moody] says.

—Jura Konicus

Examples of pain point in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The company will uncover trends, preferences and pain points for existing users while predicting potential customers’ needs. —Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025

So, arguably, those who are pushing these Trump birth rate policies aren’t interested in helping ease the burden on parents in the US through solving their pain points. —Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 22 Apr. 2025

The tariffs have been a particular pain point for investors, with the S & P 500 now down nearly 10% in 2025. —Brian Evans, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2025

Your resume-writing service can come up with imaginative solutions to that pain point. —Kathy Kristof, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1986, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for pain point

• adjoint
• anoint
• appoint
• checkpoint
• conjoint
• disjoint
• endpoint
• gunpoint
• midpoint
• nonpoint
• pinpoint
• standpoint