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
Echard said the legal fight with Owens lasted two painful years.
—
David K. Li, NBC news, 7 May 2025
As France prepares to mark the 80th anniversary of the Nazi surrender to Allied forces, survivors of World War II reflect on painful memories of fear, deprivation and persecution shaped by the German occupation of the country and the deportation of Jews and others to death camps.
—Sylvie Corbet, Sun Sentinel, 6 May 2025
Like many things in life, trying to fix something later is much more painful.
—Kevin Campbell, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Lotions in particular remove hair from the root, are less painful than wax strips, and are much cheaper than laser hair removal and electrolysis.
—Danielle Jackson, Glamour, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for painful
David K. Li, NBC news, 7 May 2025
As France prepares to mark the 80th anniversary of the Nazi surrender to Allied forces, survivors of World War II reflect on painful memories of fear, deprivation and persecution shaped by the German occupation of the country and the deportation of Jews and others to death camps.
—Sylvie Corbet, Sun Sentinel, 6 May 2025
Like many things in life, trying to fix something later is much more painful.
—Kevin Campbell, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Lotions in particular remove hair from the root, are less painful than wax strips, and are much cheaper than laser hair removal and electrolysis.
—Danielle Jackson, Glamour, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for painful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for painful
Adjective
-
Asking for fairness One lingering sore spot around remote work is the disparity between different state workers.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
16 May 2025
-
Rage, fatigue, mood swings, memory loss, hot flashes, itchy ears, inability to sleep, loss of libido, hair thinning, depression, weight gain, sore knees, night sweats, incontinence.—
Katia Riddle,
NPR,
15 May 2025
Adjective
-
More precipitation in these locations could make up for the harsh cold season.—
Jordan-Marie Smith,
NPR,
11 May 2025
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The team opened the year with some question marks at third base and those questions have persisted after a harsh injury to Jazz Chisholm Jr. Chisholm landed on the injured list earlier this month after suffering a high-grade strain to his right oblique.—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 May 2025
Adjective
-
Somebody Somewhere is tiny: a gorgeous, introspective, intimate story about a woman with devastatingly mundane problems whose chief obstacle is her own aching sense of grief and dislocation.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
9 Dec. 2024
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In this novel about the shape-shifting nature of love, Parsons captures Kit’s grief in aching and honest terms.—
Annabel Gutterman,
TIME,
6 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Scheifele’s emotional and inspirational decision to play mere hours after his father’s unexpected death — to play for his dad, to play because of his dad — ended in cruel fashion, with Scheifele helpless in the penalty box.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
18 May 2025
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At first the program seems to be benign, but Hayakawa’s film steadily reveals how the policy thrives on the cruel capitalist tenet that people are disposable.—
Lovia Gyarkye,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2025
Adjective
-
The torturous clobbering comes after Joel saves Abby from infected hordes and is coldly executed in front of his surrogate daughter, Ellie (Bella Ramsey).—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
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One of the hardest parts is her daily growth-hormone injections—a torturous process for everyone involved.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
After two years…of chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation therapy, of surgery, excruciating pain, the incredible amount of prescription drugs, and all the fervent prayers, my incredible, loving wife succumbed to the aggressive HER2 Triple-Negative breast cancer.—
Clarence Schmidt,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 May 2025
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Adolescence examines, in almost excruciating detail, a parent’s worst nightmare.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Bear markets can be agonizing, but overall, markets are positive more often than not.—
Wes Moss,
Forbes.com,
7 May 2025
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But most of the buzz centers on the will-they-won’t-they romance of Staten (Duhamel) and Quinn (Kelly), who is agonizing over whether to leave Texas behind to pursue her musical dreams in New York.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The harmony of flavors—including sweet tomatoes and cider, bitter radishes, spicy greens, umami Parmesan, and salty finishing flakes—kept me going back for bite after bite.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 May 2025
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So now he is compelled to marry Leah as well, forcing the sisters into a bitter rivalry for Jacob’s love.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
9 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Painful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/painful. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
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