painful

adjective

pain·​ful ˈpān-fəl How to pronounce painful (audio)
painfuller ˈpān-fə-lər How to pronounce painful (audio) ; painfullest
Synonyms of painfulnext
1
a
: feeling or giving pain
a painful injury
2
: requiring effort or exertion
a long painful trip
3
archaic : careful, diligent
painfully adverb
painfulness noun

Examples of painful in a Sentence

I got a painful sunburn. We can't ignore our country's painful history of slavery. His questions brought up a lot of painful memories. It was painful to watch.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The incident is widely considered one of the most painful moments of the war for Israelis and sparked fresh outrage at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for failing to secure a hostage deal. Dana Karni, CNN Money, 12 Dec. 2025 That also means that deindustrialization – steady job losses in manufacturing over the decades – has been especially painful in rural America. Tim Slack, Fortune, 11 Dec. 2025 For Magidow, ditching tips also means leaving behind a system rooted in America's painful past. Itay Hod, CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025 The affair continued until Austin’s death in 1895 and was quite public, an inexpressibly painful situation for Susan. Via Chronicle Books, Literary Hub, 11 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for painful

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of painful was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Painful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/painful. Accessed 13 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

painful

adjective
pain·​ful ˈpān-fəl How to pronounce painful (audio)
: feeling or giving pain
painfully adverb
painfulness noun

Medical Definition

painful

adjective
pain·​ful ˈpān-fəl How to pronounce painful (audio)
painfuller -fə-lər How to pronounce painful (audio) ; painfullest
: feeling or giving pain
painfully adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on painful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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