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

Educators can solve a real pain point for their colleagues by creating comprehensive, ready-to-use lesson plans while generating income. —Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025

By addressing the pain points of rising tuition without compromising quality, a state honors college could provide the return on investment many families currently seek. —Nia Bowers, USA Today, 17 May 2025

Getty Images News | Getty Images BEIJING — The U.S.-China tariff cuts, even if temporary, address a major pain point: Christmas presents. —Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 13 May 2025

It’s poised to solve a few pain points, some literal, with the current testing paradigm that have led nearly 30% of folks to fall behind on regular screenings. —Erica Sloan, SELF, 9 May 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