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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of painful
What makes this especially painful is my family history.
—
Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Feb. 2026
The most painful scene in the film isn’t when her character is attacked, although that’s a tough thing to watch, given that violence towards women onscreen is never easy to view.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2026
But for the former teen phenom, who made his Olympic debut in 2018 at the age of 16, the long, painful wait for gold continues.
—Brendan Quinn, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
The term’s origins lie in a 2017 Cosmopolitan article describing a romantic relationship, about three months in length, that’s extraordinarily painful, with one side having more interest than the other.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for painful
Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Feb. 2026
The most painful scene in the film isn’t when her character is attacked, although that’s a tough thing to watch, given that violence towards women onscreen is never easy to view.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2026
But for the former teen phenom, who made his Olympic debut in 2018 at the age of 16, the long, painful wait for gold continues.
—Brendan Quinn, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
The term’s origins lie in a 2017 Cosmopolitan article describing a romantic relationship, about three months in length, that’s extraordinarily painful, with one side having more interest than the other.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for painful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for painful
Adjective
-
Below, designers reveal other trends that may have once been considered daring and timely but now stick out like a sore thumb.—
Lacey Ramburger,
The Spruce,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Afterward, attendees ignore their sore feet and head out to get traditional Vienna sausages for breakfast before going home.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Prosecutors say the defendant failed to take into account his girlfriend’s inexperience in mountain climbing as well as the harsh winter conditions.—
Sophie Tanno,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
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Bathroom Fixtures There are no harsh or abrasive chemicals involved in steam cleaning bathroom fixtures.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
And no matter what the ultimate tally, every individual is an aching, terrible loss.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The performance — nuanced, aching and full of soul — has re-energized her place in the industry, and as Oscar season builds momentum, Hudson finds herself back in the Oscar conversation.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
21 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Said quest forces her to reexamine a revelatory affair with an RAF pilot, and consider how their engagement’s cruel ending set her on the path to a different sort of fulfillment.—
Hayley Maitland,
Vogue,
14 Feb. 2026
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Government should tame the savageness of man and make life in this world more gentle, not crueler.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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After a torturous 2025 season that featured one of the worst team pitching performances in major league history, the pitching think tank was overhauled.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
15 Feb. 2026
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Every year many Christians are arrested and imprisoned under torturous conditions for practicing their right to religious freedom, where a simple act like praying together in house-churches seems like an act of civil disobedience.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The teenager in agony after a crushed leg, or the 80 year old down the hall dying an excruciating death from cancer?—
Parker Crutchfield,
STAT,
17 Feb. 2026
-
The descriptions of slavery are excruciating.—
The Know,
Denver Post,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The world watched as the heavy favorite to triumph at the Milan Cortina Games sat through several agonizing minutes of dejection.—
Dave Skretta,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
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For the Iranian diaspora, this has meant an agonizing wait for news from family members, with many left feeling helpless in the face of such unthinkable atrocities.—
Emily Chan,
Vogue,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Although its effectiveness as a cure-all hasn’t been entirely confirmed by science, there are a few significant reasons to consider trying this bitter-tasting tea.—
PubSubHub User,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
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The appearance in northwest Georgia comes weeks after the FBI raided Fulton County’s elections center and seized truckloads of 2020 ballots, reigniting bitter political divides over the president’s attempt to undo his narrow defeat here six years ago.—
Greg Bluestein,
AJC.com,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Painful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/painful. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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