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

• 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

Tight end Dae’Quan Wright added 9 receptions for 99 yards and 2 touchdowns as Ole Miss tied its highest point total ever against an SEC opponent while dealing Arkansas one of the most painful home losses of the Coach Sam Pittman era. —Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2025

He was adopted two weeks later, but after 18 months in his home, Scoob developed a painful skin condition that caused his ears to bleed and left him extremely irritable. —Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025

The soft insoles molded to my feet like slippers, and the nubuck leather was perfect out of the box without a long and painful break-in period. —Alice Bennett, Travel + Leisure, 11 Sep. 2025

Continue reading … -- IN OTHER NEWS FRIENDSHIP SHATTERED – Rosie O'Donnell says she 'felt betrayed' by Ellen DeGeneres' painful snub. —FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing painful

• painful to the touch

Rhymes for painful

• 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