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

One generation's parenting gospel often becomes another's pain point.

—Lynda Lin Grigsby

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

Licensing remains a pain point for the brand, with revenues down. — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 17 July 2026

The people who really feel these pain points and know the red tape, inside and out, are location managers. — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 15 July 2026

There will be pain points as the program transitions from federal to state funding, some of which are already being felt through contract cancellations for farmers and staffers supporting program administration, Reider said. — Lizzie Kane july 11, Sacbee.com, 11 July 2026

Real insight from your audience is what will drive innovation and expansion in your company, and the mentality must be centered around their pain points and how your company’s service or product can serve them effectively. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

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