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

• aching
• achy
• afflictive
• hurting
• nasty
• sore

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

Their boyfriends, meanwhile, suffer the painful indignities of paper cutters, buzzsaws, and other sharp objects. —Randall Colburn, EW.com, 23 May 2025

Ornstein: United were budgeting for no European football next season, Joseph, and therefore last night would have been extremely painful but not a complete shock. —David Ornstein, New York Times, 22 May 2025

Advertisement Advertisement There is a long and painful history of antisemitism being treated as an afterthought—even in spaces devoted to human rights and justice. —Jay Rosenzweig, Time, 22 May 2025

Manu diving can hurt The researchers caution that the manu maneuver is not only difficult but can be risky and painful. —Elizabeth Weise, USA Today, 22 May 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