1
as in sore
causing or feeling bodily pain
a very painful toothache her broken arm was too painful for her to go on the trip
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in harsh
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
it's been very painful to accept that my father is gone forever
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of painful
Instead, a painful second-round NCAA Tournament loss to Iowa, lucrative NIL opportunities and unfinished business brought them back to Gainesville.
—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 June 2026
For Larrieux, that makes the push to deport Haitian TPS holders especially painful.
—
Vera Lucia Pappaterra,
Miami Herald,
26 June 2026
In Europe, where electricity prices are significantly higher than in the United States and incomes are typically lower, the price of cooling can mean a painful surprise when the power bill comes.
—
Beth Gardiner,
The Atlantic,
26 June 2026
Additionally, many corporations learned this lesson in a painful way.
—
Terdawn Deboe,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for painful
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 June 2026
For Larrieux, that makes the push to deport Haitian TPS holders especially painful.
—
Vera Lucia Pappaterra,
Miami Herald,
26 June 2026
In Europe, where electricity prices are significantly higher than in the United States and incomes are typically lower, the price of cooling can mean a painful surprise when the power bill comes.
—
Beth Gardiner,
The Atlantic,
26 June 2026
Additionally, many corporations learned this lesson in a painful way.
—
Terdawn Deboe,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for painful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for painful
Adjective
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Near the middle of the group stands a pint-size teenage Vicky, pale and bleach-blond, sticking out like a sore thumb.
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Behind her stood an image of a rendering of a permanent memorial honoring the 98 collapse victims that has yet to materialize, a sore subject that was mentioned several times during the event, along with condolences, family memories and words of encouragement.
Adjective
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Plant magnolias somewhere they will be protected from harsh winds, especially when buds or flowers are developing.
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Most clarifying shampoos tend to be a little harsh and drying, but this one is gentle and nourishing.
Adjective
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The homestretch of the drama, however, takes the story in a chilling direction, packing an aching quantity of feeling into a single glance at a security camera as someone climbs into a car and leaves the compound, never to be heard from again.
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Charles Frazier, Cold Mountain (1997) Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain is an aching, tender slow burn shaped by absence.
Adjective
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Swift moved on from one Brit to the next, quietly dating actor Joe Alwyn from 2017 to 2023, while the world spent back-to-back cruel summers without Taymerica.
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This is particularly gratifying given the absurd and cruel trolling the young actress received from the toxic corners of internet fandom leading up to the film’s release.
Adjective
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As part of her job, Angèle needs to daub makeup on the models’ feet, blistered from the torturous heels they’re forced to wear.
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The film tells the story of Greek hero Odysseus’ long, torturous and fantastical trip home from the Trojan War, back to the Kingdom of Ithaca to save his wife and son.
Adjective
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One narrative offers an excruciating description of damage done to a girl in a car crash.
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The new Failure album that came out of that excruciating time, Location Lost, is the eccentric, gorgeous sound of the band working through that crisis.
Adjective
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His agonizing response — Chisholm spent several minutes on the ground in pain — only seemed to confirm that.
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There are many reasons the Rays have followed their amazing 22-4 stretch (from April 22-May 22) with an agonizing 7-15 run (May 24 through Wednesday).
Adjective
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But to pay that extra and miss out on one of Samsung’s best hardware inventions in years would be a bitter pill to swallow.
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Many Lebanese also have bitter memories of the decades of Syrian occupation of Lebanon, which began during the Lebanese civil war, initially at the request of Lebanese authorities and with the backing of Arab states, ending in 2005.
Cite this Entry
“Painful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/painful. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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