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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in distress
a state of great suffering of body or mind
a sprained ankle caused him great pain for a week
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in nuisance
one who is obnoxiously annoying
sometimes that child, who apparently never tires of asking questions, can be such a pain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 25 June 2025
The effects can be diminished by drinking eight to 10 glasses of water per day, taking pain medications, blood transfusions, folic acid or a combination of other medications.
—Jane Tyska, Mercury News, 25 June 2025
Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 28 May 2025
Things got worse after the emergence of Covid, which ground global trade to a halt and exposed how much the United States, and the rest of the world, needed China for everything from surgical masks to pain medicines.
—David Pierson, New York Times, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pain
Noun
The high-end massager retails for $650, and includes a variety of tips to target different areas of the body and a multitude of muscle aches and pains.
—Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 25 June 2025
The effects can be diminished by drinking eight to 10 glasses of water per day, taking pain medications, blood transfusions, folic acid or a combination of other medications.
—Jane Tyska, Mercury News, 25 June 2025
Verb
The ongoing search for Grant Hardin, 56, has sparked urgent warnings from local law enforcement, put residents of a small northwest Arkansas town on edge and reignited feelings of hurt and pain that the family of one victim had tried to bury.
—Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 28 May 2025
Things got worse after the emergence of Covid, which ground global trade to a halt and exposed how much the United States, and the rest of the world, needed China for everything from surgical masks to pain medicines.
—David Pierson, New York Times, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pain
Noun
-
Symptoms of West Nile include fever, headache, aches, soreness, joint pain, rash, gastrointestinal symptoms and decreased consciousness.—
David Matthews,
New York Daily News,
24 June 2025
-
Symptoms listed by the health agency still include sore throat, cough, fever, chills, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, congestion, runny nose, loss of taste or smell, fatigue, muscle aches, body aches, headache, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
19 June 2025
Noun
-
Buildings continue to fall into economic distress because of government’s housing policies.—
Alva Badillo,
New York Daily News,
29 June 2025
-
In line with these ideas, researchers published findings in 2023 that showed that meditation increased people’s concern for the suffering of others—and that, by comparison, people without this practice were more oriented to their own distress.—
Mariah G. Schug,
Scientific American,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
The cooling station — a partnership among Gastonia, Gaston County and HealthNet Gaston, the lead agency for the county’s continuum of care — opened Friday after the community raised concerns about the need for a place for the unhoused to escape the heat.—
Briah Lumpkins,
Charlotte Observer,
1 July 2025
-
However, the law still will prevent some immigrants from accessing services such as soup kitchens, prenatal care and crisis counseling.—
Carolyn Komatsoulis,
Idaho Statesman,
1 July 2025
Noun
-
As described in a press release, the currently untitled work is set to give readers an unfiltered look into the Dipset co-founder’s rise from the streets of Harlem to the top of the rap game, and his evolution into a respected media personality, fashion figure, and businessman.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
25 June 2025
-
Small-scale research provides a sense of how larger-scale processes work, which are much more difficult to measure.—
Sarah Boon
June 25,
Literary Hub,
25 June 2025
Noun
-
Neighbors call in concerned about true nuisances that could affect the enjoyment of their private property.—
Andrew Wimer,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
-
Angry residents would sabotage the robotaxis with the help of traffic cones, while the city’s fire department chief herself would regularly malign them as a dangerous nuisance.—
Christiaan Hetzner,
Fortune,
22 June 2025
Verb
-
This would hurt even the most polished comedy or the most clockwork heist movie, let alone one that hopes to be both.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
26 June 2025
-
Ohtani has provided a critical bat at the top of the Dodgers' order and there was some concern that adding a pitching workload might hurt his offensive production.—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
Noun
-
Other coaching clients describe getting pangs of guilt about adding complex assignments to direct reports’ already heavy workloads.—
Liz Guthridge,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
-
The immediacy of hunger pangs makes focusing on the future a challenge.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
20 June 2025
Noun
-
But playing with an already-strained right calf, the Oshkosh, Wis., native stepped awkwardly towards the basket and crumbled to the court in agony when his leg appeared to pop.—
Sean Neumann,
People.com,
24 June 2025
-
Finding alternatives that would end this agony would be one of American science’s most important achievements.—
Rachel Fobar,
Vox,
14 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pain. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share