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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in distress
a state of great suffering of body or mind
a sprained ankle caused him great pain for a week
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in nuisance
one who is obnoxiously annoying
sometimes that child, who apparently never tires of asking questions, can be such a pain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of pain
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
Listeria most frequently causes short-term symptoms in healthy individuals, like fever, nausea, and abdominal pain, but is particularly dangerous to pregnant women.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2026
Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025
When the body feels stress, your heart rate and blood pressure jump, stress chemicals rise, and the brain may turn pain down for a moment.
—Dayanne S. Antonio, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pain
Noun
The five preceding episodes depicted Louie’s worsening health, with Harden keeping a dignified smile on Louie’s face but also moving a little slower and admitting to more pain.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2026
Listeria most frequently causes short-term symptoms in healthy individuals, like fever, nausea, and abdominal pain, but is particularly dangerous to pregnant women.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2026
Verb
All reporting around the deal indicated that Dončić never planned to leave Dallas, and his emotional return to Texas in April indicated that the pain of the surprise move still pained him.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025
When the body feels stress, your heart rate and blood pressure jump, stress chemicals rise, and the brain may turn pain down for a moment.
—Dayanne S. Antonio, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pain
Noun
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Joint pain, a common symptom of perimenopause, can feel like a dull ache or a sharp pain shooting through the body.—
Jocelyn Solis-Moreira,
Flow Space,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The middle-aged woman cured of breast cancer who now struggles to climb stairs because endocrine therapy has carved away her bone density and caused joint aches.—
Gilberto Lopes,
STAT,
12 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Office conversions to residential, especially in New York City, are also helping mitigate some of the distress.—
Diana Olick,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Only four districts face significant fiscal distress — a decline from prior years.—
John Manly,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The PhD student, originally from Turkey and on a valid F-1 student visa, was shuttled through multiple states following her arrest and suffered a series of asthma attacks without adequate medical care, according to her attorneys.—
Danya Gainor,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Natural Grocers specializes in organic produce, dietary supplements and body care products.—
Francesca Pica,
jsonline.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This work offers a new platform for designing efficient photo-electrocatalysts and advancing next-generation solar–electrochemical energy conversion systems.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The opening night celebration in September features violinist Joshua Bell, after which Shelley will guide the season through a series of classic works, beginning with Mahler’s Second Symphony.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Intentionally obstructing the roadway, especially while impeding emergency access, is a misdemeanor in Minnesota, as is being a public nuisance by blocking the right-of-way.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Feb. 2026
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For rulers abroad, the Puerto Rican people were mostly a nuisance to be managed.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Investors don’t want to inadvertently cheer on weakening job growth that could negatively impact consumer spending and economic growth, hurting stock prices.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Miami’s 39 sacks ranked 16th in the league, and the Dolphins were badly hurt by their inability to turn several pressures into sacks.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The album’s Bandcamp blurb shouts out Ghédalia Tarzatès, the late French composer who collaged his wails and lamentations in the endangered Ladino language to evoke pangs of existential angst.—
H.D. Angel,
Pitchfork,
6 Feb. 2026
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Everyone’s blood sugar levels sporadically spike, and that’s normal, but keeping it steady helps prevent energy crashes, hunger pangs, and mood swings, Dardarian says.—
Julia Ries Wexler,
Outside,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Laocoön and His Sons, an exquisite marble sculpture of the legendary Trojan priest writhing in agony as he’s attacked by sea-serpents, was first unearthed in the early sixteenth-century, the only missing piece his right arm.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Feb. 2026
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Steven McDonald, a fallen hero of the department who channeled the agony of three devastating gunshot wounds into an enduring message of peace and forgiveness.—
Barry Williams,
New York Daily News,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pain. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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