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
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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
Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 May 2026
Our Jewish neighbors understand too well the pain Muslim communities are experiencing.
—Zainab Chaudry, Baltimore Sun, 22 May 2026
Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026
But the record is far less gothic than its predecessor, less obviously pained.
—Ben Cardew, Pitchfork, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pain
Noun
And Simpson is a pain in the ass.
—Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 May 2026
Our Jewish neighbors understand too well the pain Muslim communities are experiencing.
—Zainab Chaudry, Baltimore Sun, 22 May 2026
Verb
Today, mindful of the most recent wars, mindful of all the atrocities com-mitted, this happy fantasy has lost its charm, death has lost its innocence, pain its magnitude, irreversible.
—Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026
But the record is far less gothic than its predecessor, less obviously pained.
—Ben Cardew, Pitchfork, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pain
Noun
-
Among the symptoms people reported were gastrointestinal illness, fever, general malaise, pneumonia, fatigue, aches and respiratory symptoms.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
-
The man sought medical care twice — first with a fever, muscle aches, chills, headache and fatigue, then with vomiting and diarrhea.—
Aria Bendix,
NBC news,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Is rapid weight gain the cause of the patient’s distress?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
Developer John Dewberry bought the building out of distress in 2010 for $36 million.—
Savannah Sicurella,
AJC.com,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
From the concierge who nimbly assisted me with dining and fitness class reservations to the kind dining staff, the friendly Miami team made sure I was always taken care of and was incredibly helpful at offering local recommendations and insight.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 May 2026
-
As a result, New Zealand's Health and Disability Commissioner has found that those responsible for the girl's welfare did not communicate effectively and also lacked culturally appropriate care.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
The offense needs a lot of work, and Monken, who has 11 years of NFL offensive coaching experience (though never as a head coach), is tasked with fixing it.—
Saad Yousuf,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
-
The new ranch comes with a coffee-drinking porch (mandatory), but it is weathered, rustic and needs work.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
The post-Dobbs era has transformed what was once a consumer privacy nuisance into a legal liability—and existing federal law offers women no meaningful protection.—
Geri Stengel,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
-
The ordinance was meant to deter public nuisance and crime from excessive public drinking.—
Jack Harvel,
Kansas City Star,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers left the game mid at-bat in the eighth inning after hurting his wrist on a foul-ball swing.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
19 May 2026
-
Missing debt payments can hurt your credit score relatively quickly, particularly if accounts become 30 or 60 days past due.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
Down to the volatile sound design and pangs of romantic yearning, to say nothing of the first-person cinematography lensed by Dhont regular Frank van den Eeden, this movie follows Pierre’s every move from the inside out.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
12 May 2026
-
Help keep your hunger pangs at bay while on a road trip or at the office with this multi-pack of trail mixes.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
There’s a roughly 50-50 shot at survival, and the unlucky half will die in agony, bleeding profusely as their organs begin to fail.—
Neil Vora,
Time,
22 May 2026
-
The blowout loss would’ve been enough agony, but there were injuries to match the insult.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pain. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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