painless

adjective

pain·​less ˈpān-ləs How to pronounce painless (audio)
1
: not causing or accompanied by physical pain : not painful
a painless skin growth
painless medical procedures
… the medical exam may include an electrocardiogram, or EKG. This noninvasive test is a painless procedure that measures your heart's activity.Sarah Shelton
The relatively painless injections are intended to provide temporary relief for arthritic pain and stiffness.Larry Katzenstein
2
: not difficult : not causing or involving complications or emotional distress
There's an easy way to apply for federal aid in the form of grants and student loans: Just fill out the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It's a fairly painless process, and you can even do it online.Maurie Backman
a quick and painless solution
painlessly adverb
painlessness noun

Examples of painless in a Sentence

getting paid to watch and review movies seems like a painless way to earn a living
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For every person whispering white, there were 10 more standing at the ready who wanted to make the transition as painless as possible for those arriving from the Crescent City. Suzette Hackney, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025 The potential of crypto – to empower more people in the financial system and make cross border payments painless and cheap, can only come to fruition if regulators and large global financial institutions create the pathways to do that. Nish Acharya, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025 These procedures differ in terms of pain/discomfort (PRK can be quite painful, LASIK is painless) and in terms of recovery time (LASIK is very fast, PRK is much slower). Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 19 Aug. 2025 The good news is that her story had a happy and entirely painless ending. Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for painless

Word History

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of painless was in 1534

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Cite this Entry

“Painless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/painless. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

Medical Definition

painless

adjective
pain·​less ˈpān-ləs How to pronounce painless (audio)
1
: not experiencing pain
2
: not causing pain : not accompanied by pain : not painful
painless surgery
painlessly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on painless

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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