as in ached
to feel or cause physical pain
my poor head was paining so from all that racket
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 pained
His facial expressions are often pained or bemused.
—
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
All reporting around the deal indicated that Dončić never planned to leave Dallas, and his emotional return to Texas in April indicated that the pain of the surprise move still pained him.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025
Aggrieved and pained, Mary returns from the grave to exact revenge on anyone who steps inside her family home.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 17 Sep. 2025
Sensitive and gentle, and then pained and rageful, his transformation into a swirling vortex of destruction is captivating to watch and deserves all the plaudits.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pained
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
All reporting around the deal indicated that Dončić never planned to leave Dallas, and his emotional return to Texas in April indicated that the pain of the surprise move still pained him.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025
Aggrieved and pained, Mary returns from the grave to exact revenge on anyone who steps inside her family home.
—Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 17 Sep. 2025
Sensitive and gentle, and then pained and rageful, his transformation into a swirling vortex of destruction is captivating to watch and deserves all the plaudits.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pained
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pained
Verb
-
Gnats chewed his face and neck, a root dug into his rear, and his arms ached from holding his gun up.—
Charles Elliott,
Outdoor Life,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The marathon was less than three days away, and his knee ached.—
Dan Pompei,
New York Times,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Furthermore, Mike Brown’s decision to play six minutes in the first half with neither Jalen Brunson nor Karl-Anthony Towns on the floor hurt New York immensely.—
Darnell Mayberry,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Bad word of mouth was hurting advance ticket sales.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pained. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
