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
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Recent Examples of pain
Brian Frost, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026
Depending on the wedding venue, include items such as sunscreen, insect repellent, pain relievers, bottled water, and other helpful items that guests may appreciate during their stay.
—Kate Donovan, Martha Stewart, 17 Apr. 2026
ABC News, 27 Feb. 2026
Missing Barcelona pained Vowles and Williams as a whole.
—Luke Smith, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pain
Noun
Aging Americans frequently visit the doctor due to chronic pain, where they are often prescribed powerful medications to manage their symptoms.
—Brian Frost, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026
Depending on the wedding venue, include items such as sunscreen, insect repellent, pain relievers, bottled water, and other helpful items that guests may appreciate during their stay.
—Kate Donovan, Martha Stewart, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
The disappearances also pain me.
—ABC News, 27 Feb. 2026
Missing Barcelona pained Vowles and Williams as a whole.
—Luke Smith, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pain
Noun
-
Some of the first signs of Lyme disease include mild fever, joint aches, muscle pain, fatigue and headache.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
9 Apr. 2026
-
When to see a doctor Ashamalla stressed that people shouldn’t be frightened by every ache or pain.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The lawsuit includes claims for battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
15 Apr. 2026
-
In 2025, the hospital treated 257 children with puberty blockers and 549 with hormonal therapy for gender dysphoria, which is distress at the gap between a person’s sense of their gender and the way the world sees them.—
Meg Wingerter,
Denver Post,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
At one point, one of the moderators asked those in his care to stand up, and numerous people rose from their seatsto the sound of applause.—
Alexandra Schonfeld,
PEOPLE,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Another barrier to staying up to date on adult vaccines is that many people don't have health insurance, are underinsured, or don't receive regular care.—
Teresa Maalouf,
Verywell Health,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Barnes and Imam had been trading ideas with a scholar named Andrew Willard Jones, whose work focussed on the model of Christendom found in, say, High Middle Ages France, where society was organized around its relationship with the Church.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Sara Doody Mid-Century Lift-Top Coffee Table Apartment dwellers will love this space-saving coffee table with a convenient lift-top that doubles as a kitchen table and work desk.—
Ali Faccenda,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
City code does say that livestock cannot become a nuisance.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The spider’s diet includes ants (Hymenoptera), flies and mosquitoes (Diptera) and beetles (Coleoptera) — a lineup that reads like a checklist of common household nuisances.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Having Fecht, Alexander and Toma ahead of him doesn’t hurt, either.—
Paul Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The attack left 10 students, four teachers, a school canteen employee and a police officer hurt, according to Sildak, who added that five of the teachers and students were transferred to a hospital in the provincial capital because their conditions were more serious.—
Greg Norman-Diamond,
FOXNews.com,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
At a recent sleepover, my 15-year-old son and his 14-year-old friend Charlie, driven by a pang of nostalgia, chose to watch the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics on YouTube.—
Luba Kassova,
Fortune,
1 Apr. 2026
-
What Brooks proffers is not the philosophy these queries require but a kind of pharmacology—a pill designed to alleviate every last pang.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This type of agony is always a detriment to mental health, even more so when someone is already predisposed to instability.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Her story became the focus of almost every main news outlet around the country, and people watched in agony for two days as rescuers attempted to save the toddler.—
Jordana Comiter,
PEOPLE,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pain. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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