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

Not surprisingly, the museum is taking pains to emphasize that the exhibit will not shy away from the problematic aspects of Galliano’s history. — ABC News, 31 July 2026

Blackouts and seizures, tremors that became full-body shakes, stabbing chest pains. — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 30 July 2026

Much of what union Vice President Jessica Rodarte saw was reassuring — with school managers and officials at pains to explain cleaning and testing efforts. — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026

About 20% of infected people develop flu-like symptoms like fever, headache, body aches or joint pains, according to the CDC. — Felicity Abbott, CBS News, 29 July 2026

Prolonged time sitting in front of computers can result in poor posture, not to mention aches and pains. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 23 July 2026

Bacillus cereus is a type of bacteria that causes food poisoning, with symptoms that include vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pains that usually last around two days, according to the Cleveland Clinic. — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026

Hassan Sleiman, a 45-year-old roofing contractor in Michigan, claims a regimen of seven peptides has eased body pains and boosted his vitality. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 20 July 2026

In Caracas, Delcy Rodríguez had taken pains to project compliance. — Stephania Taladrid, New Yorker, 20 July 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