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

He’s gone through the painful, laborious and expensive process of having his tattoos removed. —Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 June 2026

Like Sasse, most people in the trial experienced a rash (though just 15% had a severe case), and over half had nausea or painful sores in their mouths and throats. —Lisa Jarvis, Twin Cities, 7 June 2026

Hatched larvae then burrow into the animal's flesh and feed on living tissue, creating painful, foul-smelling wounds. —Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 6 June 2026

During a rare interview, billionaire Russian oligarch Vladimir Yevtushenkov acknowledged the painful impact of sanctions placed on Russia as a result of the invasion of Ukraine. —Natasha Lebedeva, NBC news, 6 June 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