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
b
: irksome, annoying
2
: requiring effort or exertion
a long painful trip
3
archaic : careful, diligent
painfully
ˈpān-f(ə-)lē How to pronounce painful (audio)
adverb
painfulness
ˈpān-fəl-nəs How to pronounce painful (audio)
noun

Synonyms of painful

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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.
And for the people caught within its gears, the process can often be painful and fraught with uncertainty, with frighteningly high stakes attached. — Karen Koehler, Kansas City Star, 6 July 2026 To the fans who have watched the Warriors swing and miss on free agents and various trade targets over the last few years, watching Simons sign with another team was painful. — Nick Friedell, New York Times, 4 July 2026 But nothing competes with the painful deterioration of her sight after contracting scarlet fever. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 3 July 2026 The uncertainty surrounding thousands of people whose whereabouts remain unknown remains one of the most painful aspects of the disaster. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026 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

Phrases Containing painful

Rhymes for painful

See All Rhymes for painful

Browse Nearby Words

pained
painful
painful to the touch
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Cite this Entry

“Painful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/painful. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

painful

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

More from Merriam-Webster on painful

Nglish: Translation of painful for Spanish Speakers

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