pain 1 of 2

noun

ˈpān How to pronounce pain (audio)
Definition of painnext
1
as in ache
a sharp unpleasant sensation usually felt in some specific part of the body the child was crying because of a pain in her knee

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2
as in distress
a state of great suffering of body or mind a sprained ankle caused him great pain for a week

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3
as in care
pains plural 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

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4
as in work
pains plural the active use of energy in producing a result she was at pains to reassure us that everything would be fine

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5
as in nuisance
one who is obnoxiously annoying sometimes that child, who apparently never tires of asking questions, can be such a pain

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pain

2 of 2

verb

as in to ache
to feel or cause physical pain my poor head was paining so from all that racket

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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 pain
Noun
The substance has long been available as a pill; health-food stores often market it as an antioxidant supplement that can help alleviate nerve pain, among other benefits. — D. T. Max, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026 In Your Monster, Melissa Barrera’s Laura manifests a towering beast to work through the pain of a traumatic breakup and cancer diagnosis. — Janelle Okwodu, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2026
Verb
But as a catcher, he’s used to pain. — Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 20 May 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for pain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pain
  1. ache
  2. distress
  3. care
  4. work
  5. nuisance
  6. hurt
  7. pang
  8. agony
Noun
  • Some good medications to have include ibuprofen or naproxen, which can relieve headaches, body aches and sore throats by reducing inflammation and Acetaminophen, which can lower body temperature.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The non-invasive form can cause gastrointestinal distress, fever and aches for a few days.
    — Eva Flowe October 15, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of ache
Noun
  • The rise of self-harm influencers—people for whom demonstrating their distress online has become a source of income and validation—is a terrifying new development.
    — Gavin Francis, The New York Review of Books, 24 Oct. 2026
  • CoreWeave, the leader of the pack, has seen spreads on its CDS widen past 11%, generally viewed as a distress level, as investors have to pay up for protection against default.
    — Isabel O'Brien, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of distress
Noun
  • Those figures largely predate the state’s move to universal free child care, which began in November 2025 and is funded by an oil and gas windfall.
    — Martie Bowser, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • In a bucket hat and without a care in the world, Murray speaks kindly but candidly about making his buddy Coyne’s TV dream come true.
    — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of care
Noun
  • The announcement did not specify when testing would begin or disclose results from previous development work.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Every order completed by a robot represents work that potentially could have gone to a human courier.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of work
Noun
  • Residents say the coyote had been a nuisance in the area since January, when a neighbor began feeding it.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Benjamin was charged with allegedly obstructing a police officer and being a public nuisance.
    — Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of nuisance
Verb
  • Jackdaw to have limited impact on energy bills The British government has faced criticism from some corners that its climate policies have hurt industry and energy security.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Among the report’s most concerning findings, enterprises often make software purchases that IT heads believe could hurt the organization.
    — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of hurt
Noun
  • Dining in the lounge is available all day to cater to international hunger pangs that don’t follow the same schedule as those of Spaniards.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Now, the new smaller version is available for hunger pangs between meals as many consumers are replacing traditional meals with snacks throughout the day, according to Datassential.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of pang
Noun
  • The prisoner in question, Doug Korpi, had also admitted that his agony was an act to journalist Ben Blum, who included the revelation in a broader takedown of the experiment published in 2018.
    — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The daughters of burning witches were sometimes made to stand close to the pyre, being whipped by locals while watching their mothers die in agony.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of agony

Phrases Containing pain

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pails
pain
pained
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Cite this Entry

“Pain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pain. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pain

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pain

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