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

That means that having a diagnosis of psoriasis — a condition which, according to the Mayo Clinic, is a chronic and incurable skin disease that causes a rash with itchy, scaly and sometimes painful patches — can be a difficult one to deal with. — Andrea Wurzburger, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026

The Growth portfolio grew 24% and the company reported that a new at-home dosing option was approved by the FDA, removing a painful friction point for Alzheimer's patients. — Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 3 Aug. 2026

In a series of video interludes that break up the performance into acts, Grande plays Peaches, a woman who wants to undergo a procedure to erase her painful memories. — Mitch Therieau, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2026

But any movement that engages her core muscles — bending, turning, stretching — is painful and debilitating. — Daniela Suarez, NBC news, 31 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