1
: causing pain to your body
I got a painful sunburn.
a painful skin condition
His ankle is swollen and painful to the touch. [=his ankle hurts if he touches it]
2
: causing emotional pain
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.
Cite this Entry
“Painful.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/painful. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
Copy Citation
