1
: feeling pain : hurt
2
: expressing or involving pain
a pained expression
with pained surprise

Examples of pained in a Sentence

She wore a pained expression on her face. He truly looked pained when he heard the news.
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.
Nyoni’s film is thus the story of an unusually pained homecoming, of terrible memories confronted. Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 7 Mar. 2025 During the address, Trump clashed with Democrats, and Democrats showed an extraordinary display of disruptions, protests and pained expressions throughout the night. Alex Gangitano, The Hill, 5 Mar. 2025 This time, Mary looked famine-struck and spoke mostly in pained moans. Sarah Stillman, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025 After seven episodes of pained teeth-gritting and wide-eyed astonishment, he’s found closure in confronting the man who killed his father (or not) and finding only a weak old guy too sickly to punch. Eliana Dockterman, Time, 4 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pained

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

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Cite this Entry

“Pained.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pained. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

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