as in bitterly
with feelings of bitterness or grief
painfully she recounted the difficult relationship she had with her mother
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of painfully
Her life remains a poignant reminder that America’s promise of liberty was still painfully incomplete for many who believed in it most.
—
Robin Follman,
Oc Register,
4 July 2026
But for too many agencies, turning that data into a complete, compliant police report is still painfully manual, time-consuming and prone to error.
—
Matthew Polega,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
For Tiffany Nolan-Rodriguez, the past year has felt painfully quiet.
—
Alula Alderson,
Sacbee.com,
2 July 2026
How many parents are painfully aware that their adult children (30 to 40 years of age) can’t become homeowners because of the lack of affordability and availability?
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
29 June 2026
And while the country’s current fuel shortage is painfully real, it should not be mistaken for a white flag.
—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
29 June 2026
Since then, the company’s creations have solved painfully difficult problems in fields from mathematics to computational biology.
—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
29 June 2026
Rhaenrya does make a mess of it, stabbing into his back painfully.
—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
29 June 2026
For me, that next day at the clinic passed both painfully slowly and in a blur.
—
Helen Santoro,
Denver Post,
29 June 2026
Robin Follman,
Oc Register,
4 July 2026
But for too many agencies, turning that data into a complete, compliant police report is still painfully manual, time-consuming and prone to error.
—
Matthew Polega,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
For Tiffany Nolan-Rodriguez, the past year has felt painfully quiet.
—
Alula Alderson,
Sacbee.com,
2 July 2026
How many parents are painfully aware that their adult children (30 to 40 years of age) can’t become homeowners because of the lack of affordability and availability?
—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
29 June 2026
And while the country’s current fuel shortage is painfully real, it should not be mistaken for a white flag.
—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
29 June 2026
Since then, the company’s creations have solved painfully difficult problems in fields from mathematics to computational biology.
—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
29 June 2026
Rhaenrya does make a mess of it, stabbing into his back painfully.
—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
29 June 2026
For me, that next day at the clinic passed both painfully slowly and in a blur.
—
Helen Santoro,
Denver Post,
29 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for painfully
Adverb
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With a goalkeeping howler and a red card, Marcelo Bielsa’s side self-imploded at the end of a bitterly disappointing tournament.
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And the organization’s internal splinter groups, the Soviet-leaning Weatherman Underground and the Maoist-leaning Progressive Labor faction fought each other bitterly.
Adverb
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To its sadly unusual credit, each Enola Holmes film has taken on a different social issue to address, albeit at times rather on the nose-edly.
-
The Prince of Wales sadly won’t be attending Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce‘s wedding Friday in New York City, but the heir to the British throne nonetheless made sure to offer some royal prestige to events.
Adverb
-
Tarun would tease her, and my mother would look sorrowfully toward Kavitha, as if the two of them now shared some womanly burden.
Adverb
-
That means many households will be paying more per kilowatt-hour at the same time air conditioners are running longer and harder, a combination that can quickly drive up summer statements.
-
Progressive lawmakers had pushed hard for state leaders to protect health care for undocumented immigrants.
Adverb
-
So is the moment early in the film when Mary mournfully looks on as her long-ago home faces demolition to make room for a big, featureless residential complex.
-
Things are getting hot in Kayce's love life, even after the widower mournfully visits the East Camp memorial to his beloved wife, Monica Dutton (Kelsey Asbille).
Cite this Entry
“Painfully.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/painfully. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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