pang

1 of 2

noun

1
: a brief piercing spasm of pain
the pangs of childbirth
2
: a sharp attack of mental anguish
pangs of remorse
a pang of guilt
a pang of disappointment

pang

2 of 2

verb

panged; panging; pangs

transitive verb

: to cause to have pangs : torment

Examples of pang in a Sentence

Noun those hunger pangs that strike you in the middle of the afternoon
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.
Noun
The first pangs struck in late May, when Werenski and the United States won the gold medal at the IIHF World Championship in Stockholm, Sweden, the first gold for Team USA since 1933. Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 20 June 2025 Baker cuts to conflicted close-ups of Igor, underscoring his pangs of conscience on the periphery of the plot. A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2025
Verb
Its sonic trappings are in vogue, but thanks in large part to front-woman Fox Rodemich’s memorable voice, which pangs around the record like a cave bellow, there’s an outlying classic quality to these songs. Dylan Owens, The Know, 16 Feb. 2017 See All Example Sentences for pang

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1502, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pang was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pang.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pang. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

pang

noun
ˈpaŋ
: a sudden sharp attack of pain or distress

Medical Definition

pang

noun
: a brief piercing spasm of pain see birth pang, hunger pangs

More from Merriam-Webster on pang

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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