pain 1 of 2

noun

ˈpān How to pronounce pain (audio)
Definition of painnext
1
as in ache
a sharp unpleasant sensation usually felt in some specific part of the body the child was crying because of a pain in her knee

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2
as in distress
a state of great suffering of body or mind a sprained ankle caused him great pain for a week

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3
as in care
pains plural strict attentiveness to what one is doing asked the movers to take pains to be sure that they didn't damage anything while moving the furniture

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4
as in work
pains plural the active use of energy in producing a result she was at pains to reassure us that everything would be fine

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5
as in nuisance
one who is obnoxiously annoying sometimes that child, who apparently never tires of asking questions, can be such a pain

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pain

2 of 2

verb

as in to ache
to feel or cause physical pain my poor head was paining so from all that racket

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of pain
Noun
Every department that works on film and television has felt this pain, and post-production teams are no exception. — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 1 Sep. 2026 But his career has been derailed by multiple back and knee surgeries, car accidents and pain pill dependence. — ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
Trigeminovascular System Activation Initiates Headache Pain The initiation of cortical spreading depression, which is linked to an aura, also activates the trigeminovascular system, a network of nerves and blood vessels in your head that senses pain and sends signals to your brain. — Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 30 Apr. 2026 His disaffection baffles his acquaintances and pains his tubercular wife (a superb Quinn Jackson), whose doctor (Lambert Tamin) has only contempt for her husband’s agonizing. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pain
  1. ache
  2. distress
  3. care
  4. work
  5. nuisance
  6. hurt
  7. pang
  8. agony
Noun
  • For a filmmaker who built 17 minutes around the ache of being watched, there’s a quiet symmetry to it — a stretch on the Lido spent, for once, doing the looking herself.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Symptoms and treatment For most people, West Nile produces mild symptoms — such as fever, aches and rashes — or none at all, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of ache
Noun
  • But, in his view, the discussion of mental distress among kids ought to focus there.
    — Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The family’s attorney says Mayich struggled through a military-style practice with little rest or water, showing clear distress before collapsing.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of distress
Noun
  • The background of the film is the budget slashes that are happening in this sector all over the Western world, as the government withdraws its own form of care.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • As the trend scales, expect a wave of clinician response videos and possibly product warnings from foot-care brands.
    — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of care
Noun
  • The idea that stricter work-search requirements will lead to faster re-employment simply doesn't match the reality of modern hiring.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Eight quarterbacks in the final rankings of 2025 are currently on the bench or looking for work, so the quality diluted as injuries mounted.
    — Jeff Howe, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of work
Noun
  • In March, a Jackson County judge ordered Millennia to board up the property and fix those nuisances.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The number of bears killed by motor vehicle strikes, euthanized as nuisances because of conflicts with humans or poached in the Central Florida region over the past decade total about 1,900.
    — Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of nuisance
Verb
  • Olsen certainly hurt those around him, too, growing up, especially as his addiction spiraled and his platonic, romantic and familial relationships fell apart.
    — David Oliver, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Higher yields and rates, meanwhile, tend to hurt people who are borrowing money.
    — Christopher Rugaber, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of hurt
Noun
  • Statements by government lawyers that contradict the official White House line are not merely the results of pangs of conscience.
    — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026
  • Curtin admits to feeling a small pang when a guest drinks only water throughout the meal.
    — Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of pang
Noun
  • In a world where women endure the impossible to bring new life into the world—holding agony and beauty all at once—shouldn’t women be celebrated for more than just their idealized form and youth?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Bugs Bunny jams himself against the edge and grits his teeth in agony.
    — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of agony

Phrases Containing pain

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pails
pain
pained
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Cite this Entry

“Pain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pain. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pain

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pain

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