pain

American  

[peyn] / peɪn /

noun

1. physical suffering or distress, as due to injury, illness, etc.

   Synonyms:

   torment, misery, torture

2. a distressing sensation in a particular part of the body.

   a back pain.

   Synonyms:

   stitch, twinge, pang, torment, misery, torture

3. mental or emotional suffering or torment.

   I am sorry my news causes you such pain.

   Synonyms:

   torment, misery, torture

   Antonyms:

   delight, joy

4. pains,

   1. laborious or careful efforts; assiduous care.

      Great pains have been taken to repair the engine perfectly.

   2. the suffering of childbirth.

5. Informal. an annoying or troublesome person or thing.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to cause physical pain to; hurt.

2. to cause (someone) mental or emotional pain; distress.

   Your sarcasm pained me.

   Synonyms:

   grieve, trouble, torment, afflict

   Antonyms:

   please

verb (used without object)

1. to have or give pain.

idioms

1. pain in the ass, pain.

2. pain in the neck, pain.

3. feel no pain, to be intoxicated.

   After all that free beer, we were feeling no pain.

4. on / upon / under pain of, liable to the penalty of.

   on pain of death.

pain British  

/ peɪn /

noun

1. the sensation of acute physical hurt or discomfort caused by injury, illness, etc

2. emotional suffering or mental distress

3. subject to the penalty of

4. Also called: pain in the neck.   pain in the arse.  informal a person or thing that is a nuisance

---

verb

1. to cause (a person) distress, hurt, grief, anxiety, etc

2. informal to annoy; irritate

pain More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing pain

• at pains
• feel no pain
• for one's pains
• growing pains
• no pain, no gain
• on pain of

---

Related Words

Pain , ache , agony , anguish are terms for sensations causing suffering or torment. Pain and ache usually refer to physical sensations (except heartache ); agony and anguish may be physical or mental. Pain suggests a sudden sharp twinge: a pain in one's ankle. Ache applies to a continuous pain, whether acute or dull: headache; muscular aches. Agony implies a continuous, excruciating, scarcely endurable pain: in agony from a wound. Anguish suggests not only extreme and long-continued pain, but also a feeling of despair. See care.

Other Word Forms

• underpain
  noun
• unpaining
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of pain

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English peine “punishment, torture, pain,” from Old French, from Latin poena “penalty, pain,” from Greek poinḗ “penalty”

Explanation

If you feel pain, you feel acute physical or emotional discomfort. A sprained ankle will pain you. So will news of a loved one's death. If you "take pain" over something, it means you're being careful. An annoying person can be described as a pain––it's understood that they don't cause you actual physical pain, but cause you emotional discomfort and distress. You can also describe this person as a "pain in the neck," "a pain in the butt," or "a royal pain."

Example Sentences

When Julie Jeppson started chronicling the lives of her children on YouTube, she discovered something uncomfortable: Pain sells.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

Pain at the pump may already be casting a pall over the mall.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

Pain at the pump could make consumers more hesitant to buy new gas-guzzlers and more likely to consider electric vehicles.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

The musician is also the youngest ever recipient of the prize, which comes just five years after she posted the lo-fi breakout tracks Break it Off and Pain on TikTok.

From BBC • Feb. 23, 2026

Pain had never been a friend to me before, but now it kept me still.

From "Kindred" by Octavia Butler

Related Words

• ache
• agony
• burn
• cramp
• discomfort
• fever
• illness
• injury
• irritation
• misery
• sickness
• soreness
• spasm
• strain
• tenderness
• torment
• trouble
• twinge
• wound