1
as in sore
causing or feeling bodily pain
a very painful toothache her broken arm was too painful for her to go on the trip
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in harsh
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
it's been very painful to accept that my father is gone forever
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of painful
Wallack said losing Eduardo was particularly painful.
—
Miami Herald, 31 July 2025
Even though Stormy had a very rough, and painful, start in life, her future has potential, the South Plains Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in Lubbock said.
—Tj MacIas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 July 2025
The pain was similar to waxing or tweezing—easier on tougher skin, more painful on sensitive areas.
—Malia Griggs, Glamour, 30 July 2025
Blood could also be a sign of hemorrhoids or an anal fissure, which is a painful tear of the anal tissue, Christie said.
—Sarah Garone, Health, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for painful
Miami Herald, 31 July 2025
Even though Stormy had a very rough, and painful, start in life, her future has potential, the South Plains Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in Lubbock said.
—Tj MacIas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 July 2025
The pain was similar to waxing or tweezing—easier on tougher skin, more painful on sensitive areas.
—Malia Griggs, Glamour, 30 July 2025
Blood could also be a sign of hemorrhoids or an anal fissure, which is a painful tear of the anal tissue, Christie said.
—Sarah Garone, Health, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for painful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for painful
Adjective
-
Chisholm missed five weeks toward the beginning of the season with a right oblique strain, then sat out of Sunday’s Subway Series finale at Citi Field for a sore right shoulder.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
11 July 2025
-
Richardson, who was dealing with a sore right ankle during summer league practices in Orlando, exited early in the third quarter, but was able to return in the final frame.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
Unlike harsh chemical cleaners or abrasive scrubbers like steel wool, salt effectively tackles grime while remaining safe for both wood and plastic cutting board surfaces.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
3 Aug. 2025
-
As the moon moves through Sagittarius, a harsh reality disturbs your inner peace.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Braxton shares an aching need to be vulnerable only to realize by album’s end that such unions can result in horrible betrayal, her words of lament surrounded by swelling, lush orchestration.—
Clarence A. Haynes
July 3,
Literary Hub,
3 July 2025
-
Coupled with a story line about digital avatars who seek to replace the humans in whose images they were shaped, the movie possesses an aching sense of oblivion.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
A little more than a year ago, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed a decision from the Ninth Circuit that determined a ban on people sleeping in public was constitutionally cruel and unusual.—
Natalie Eilbert,
jsonline.com,
29 July 2025
-
In an inordinately cowardly and cruel act, Rubio stayed away from the department that day, ignoring the men and women whose careers and life plans were decimated by his flippant decision-making.—
Lynn Northcutt Vega,
Sun Sentinel,
29 July 2025
Adjective
-
Despite his large body of work as a MAGA sycophant, YouTuber Benny Johnson couldn’t swallow Trump’s logically torturous explanations of why his backers should just forget about Epstein.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
19 July 2025
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But the games must go on, and in the third installment, he’s forced to play even more torturous rounds that divide the players further, including a terrifying game of hide-and-seek and a deadly round of double Dutch.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
Adjective
-
Marvel Comics’s dysfunctional super-family proved that comic-book characters could be relatable, but so far, each attempt to create a Fantastic Four movie has ranged from forgettable to excruciating.—
Dale Obbie,
Vulture,
23 July 2025
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Despite undergoing more than 40 major surgeries and enduring excruciating treatments like wearing a metal facial brace at age 6, Resek continues to live with recurring infections, sleep apnea, and other lasting impacts of her condition.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
People.com,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
Laura and Geoff tried to summarize the heights of Greg’s life — most tied to football — as well as his agonizing final 15 years.—
Christopher Kamrani,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
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News reports and photographs from Texas have been agonizing reminders of the damage nature can inflict.—
Frank Witsil,
Freep.com,
10 July 2025
Adjective
-
In a surprise to anybody who doesn’t spend all their free time tweeting, Rollins shed his crutches and cashed in on his bitter rival CM Punk.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
3 Aug. 2025
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The tag-team match between bitter rivals kicked off SummerSlam Night 1 Saturday night at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
3 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Painful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/painful. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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