Synonyms of pains

pains 1 of 2

noun

plural of pain

1

as in attention

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

• attention
• care
• carefulness
• scrupulousness
• heed
• effort
• meticulousness
• precision
• conscientiousness
• concentration
• meticulosity
• closeness
• observation
• focus
• responsibility
• heedfulness
• vigilance
• watchfulness
• trouble
• mindfulness
• alertness
• observance
• painstaking
• punctiliousness
• exactness
• bother
• advertency
• advertence
• particularity
• irreproachability
• irreproachableness
• dutifulness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• negligence
• inattentiveness
• heedlessness
• inattention
• inadvertency
• inadvertence
• inobservance

2

as in effort

the active use of energy in producing a result

she was at pains to reassure us that everything would be fine

Synonyms & Similar Words

• effort
• work
• sweat
• exertion
• trouble
• labor
• expenditure
• energy
• while
• toil
• drudgery
• strain
• elbow grease
• power
• muscle
• try
• travail
• might
• dint
• attempt
• endeavor
• slog
• stab
• grind
• trial
• essay
• go
• pass
• force
• puissance
• shot
• whack
• fling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ease
• facility
• smoothness
• fluency
• inertia
• inactivity
• inaction
• laziness
• indolence
• idleness
• adroitness
• dormancy
• quiescence
• languor

pains

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of pain

as in aches

to feel or cause physical pain

my poor head was paining so from all that racket

Synonyms & Similar Words

• aches
• hurts
• throbs
• tingles
• smarts
• swells
• cramps
• stings
• itches
• bites
• bleeds
• torments
• nags
• racks
• twinges
• burns
• tortures
• chafes
• suffers
• pinches
• pounds
• anguishes
• festers
• agonizes
• afflicts
• harrows

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of pains

Noun

With exceptional performances from the entire cast and homages to musical legends like Whitney Houston and Janet Jackson, Bioh and White present a reflection of the Black female experience in all of its dazzling idiosyncrasies, triumphs and pains. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026

Some people spend hundreds on first-class upgrades to feel better, but a pair of lightweight compression socks can prevent a lot of the pains that come with long travel days—even if you’re stuck in economy. — Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2026

The new Brad Pitt vehicle, directed by David Ayer, takes pains to start with a scene that exists only to make this clear. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026

Joint and muscle pains are all too common for women in midlife. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 24 Sep. 2026

Those economic pains could also affect the five tax and bond issue referendums on the fall ballot. — Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026

Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Andy Pages, Rojas and others will still be playing through aches and pains by the time October rolls around. — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Court filings haven't specified the nature of the new evidence; the judge and attorneys took pains not to disclose any details during a pretrial hearing on Tuesday. — ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026

This curious experimenter group is all about catching mistakes, working through early unexpected results—hello, hallucinations—and minimizing adoption pains. — Robbie Morrison, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026

Verb

This one pains me as a Roth-era Van Halen fan, but there is no denying the band found incredible radio success with new frontman Sammy Hagar in the fold. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026

His disaffection baffles his acquaintances and pains his tubercular wife (a superb Quinn Jackson), whose doctor (Lambert Tamin) has only contempt for her husband’s agonizing. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026

But regret pains them like a knot in their shoulders. — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2025