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
The most painful blow was Alex Burleson’s two-run homer to right in the fifth that stretched the Cardinals’ lead to 5-2.
—
Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 13 Aug. 2025
These teeny bats, with their wee teeth, can leave bites and scratches that are not visible, do not bleed, and are not painful.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 13 Aug. 2025
Now, for the first time, nurses from 1950’s children homes break their silence, revealing new details about one of Israel’s most painful and unresolved cases.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 2 Aug. 2025
Taking action to speak out against the Israeli government was deeply painful and difficult.
—Rachel Timoner, New York Daily News, 2 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for painful
Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 13 Aug. 2025
These teeny bats, with their wee teeth, can leave bites and scratches that are not visible, do not bleed, and are not painful.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 13 Aug. 2025
Now, for the first time, nurses from 1950’s children homes break their silence, revealing new details about one of Israel’s most painful and unresolved cases.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 2 Aug. 2025
Taking action to speak out against the Israeli government was deeply painful and difficult.
—Rachel Timoner, New York Daily News, 2 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for painful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for painful
Adjective
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These natural springs are magnesium, salt, and potassium-rich, which have the properties of relieving sore muscles, enhancing the flow of blood, and benefiting skin, and make the person relax deeply.—
Shelby Knick,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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Moncada can’t currently hit right-handed because of limitations with his sore right knee, so that answers the question on some days.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The report didn’t elaborate on that treatment but studies and surveys have previously highlighted the military’s notoriously harsh conditions.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
15 Aug. 2025
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After weeks of acrimony, concern and harsh statements, the dispute over who will control the River Forest Civic Center building at 8020 W. Madison seems to be headed toward a resolution.—
Bob Skolnik,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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In this aching, unorthodox historical drama, Davies tells the story of the pacifist poet and veteran Siegfried Sassoon, whose experiences fighting in the First World War forever transformed him.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
5 Aug. 2025
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Braxton shares an aching need to be vulnerable only to realize by album’s end that such unions can result in horrible betrayal, her words of lament surrounded by swelling, lush orchestration.—
Clarence A. Haynes
July 3,
Literary Hub,
3 July 2025
Adjective
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That is a particularly egregious example of how the Trump Administration has been gratuitously cruel to the Sudanese.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
5 Aug. 2025
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Stacy, Tim’s wife, also died of pancreatic cancer five months later in February of 2024, a cruel hand for a family that for years had gone above and beyond in their efforts to raise money and awareness for cancer research.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Season 2 reveals the main characters were locked up in a torturous adult rehabilitation center, but have now been allowed to re-enroll at Godolkin University.—
Zoe Kaplan,
People.com,
9 Aug. 2025
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Other detainees have also called the conditions torturous, saying the facility is full of mosquitoes and where fluorescent lights shine bright on them at all times.—
Josh Feldman,
NBC news,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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But a moment later, despite the excruciating pain and the loss of blood, her eyes brightened.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Aug. 2025
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Disputes often take an excruciating 45 to 90 days to resolve and can cause consumers to hate their credit card or debit card bank, at least temporarily.—
Jeff Kauflin,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The 15-centimeter-long fish died an agonizing death, impaled on a 10-centimeter-long belemnite.—
David Bressan,
Forbes.com,
29 July 2025
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Laura and Geoff tried to summarize the heights of Greg’s life — most tied to football — as well as his agonizing final 15 years.—
Christopher Kamrani,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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Drag slider compare photos Before After Bakhmut After months of bitter clashes since July 2022, the Donetsk city of Bakhmut, north of Avdiivka, fell to Russian forces in May 2023.—
Ellie Cook
John Feng,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
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Instead, Holland’s bitter ex-spy Harcourt and Brooks’ empathetic Adebayo are mostly on Chris’ side from the jump this season.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Painful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/painful. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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