1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

pang 1 of 2

noun

ˈpaŋ How to pronounce pang (audio)
Definition of pangnext
as in ache
a sharp unpleasant sensation usually felt in some specific part of the body those hunger pangs that strike you in the middle of the afternoon

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pang

2 of 2

verb

as in to pain

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pang
Noun
When its inevitable end arrives, the sun’s core will exhaust the last traces of hydrogen fuel and kick off the first stellar death pangs. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 1 July 2026 Kanaal is king for indulging elevenses hunger pangs, providing cakes, cookies, tea, coffee, and made-to-order traditional Dutch sweets including stroopwafles and puffertjes. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 June 2026
Verb
Its sonic trappings are in vogue, but thanks in large part to front-woman Fox Rodemich’s memorable voice, which pangs around the record like a cave bellow, there’s an outlying classic quality to these songs. — Dylan Owens, The Know, 16 Feb. 2017 See All Example Sentences for pang
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pang
  1. ache
  2. pain
  3. tingle
  4. sting
  5. twinge
  6. stab
  7. hurt
Noun
  • For a filmmaker who built 17 minutes around the ache of being watched, there’s a quiet symmetry to it — a stretch on the Lido spent, for once, doing the looking herself.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Symptoms and treatment For most people, West Nile produces mild symptoms — such as fever, aches and rashes — or none at all, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of ache
Verb
  • Hargitay, unable to speak to or know her mother, spent much of her life pained by the compromises Mansfield had made.
    — Daniel D'Addario, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Adelman was pained by his Kings exit.
    — Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
Definition of pain
Noun
  • There have been quite a few Lost-like moments throughout the run of Silo, but none have had exactly the same Lost-y tingle as our first peek inside Silo 1 in the season-three finale.
    — Noel Murray, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Fruit extracts clarify excess oil and buildup, while a cooling mint complex and menthol deliver a refreshing tingle, leaving your scalp feeling clean, balanced, and freshly reset.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 18 June 2026
Definition of tingle
Verb
  • The pain of losing Hollywood actor Heath Ledger nearly 20 years ago still stings for his on-screen Dark Knight family.
    — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Some baby hummingbirds disguise themselves as caterpillars with stinging hairs to avoid predators, while octopus, squid, and cuttlefish use camouflage to blend in with their surroundings and hide.
    — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of sting
Noun
  • Just take his February fall collection, which mashed up decades of American glamour with a sneaky British twinge.
    — Alexandra Hildreth, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Then came the third inning, a sudden twinge of pain in Carson Whisenhunt’s left elbow and an escort to the trainer’s room.
    — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of twinge
Verb
  • In August 2025, police said, Brown rode the light rail in Charlotte and stabbed 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska to death.
    — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 16 Sep. 2026
  • As an argument started, police said, the other man took out a sharp object and stabbed the 51-year-old in the neck.
    — Elyssa Kaufman, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of stab
Verb
  • His frequent, sweeping cross-field balls to right wing-back Daniel Munoz helped Forest find space in which to hurt their opponents.
    — Paul Taylor, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • One staffer at a top AI company told CNN the fears of how AI could hurt humanity keeps them up at night.
    — Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of hurt

Browse Nearby Words

panels
pang
panged
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pang.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pang. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of watershed

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All