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pain threshold

American  
[payn thresh-ohld, payn thresh-hohld] / ˈpeɪn ˈθrɛʃ oʊld, ˈpeɪn ˈθrɛʃ hoʊld /

noun

pain thresholds plural
  1. the specific point at which a person or animal begins to feel pain from a given stimulus.


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Papic, chief geopolitical and macro strategist at BCA Research, calculates that from Iran’s pain threshold must be subtracted the scale and intensity of punitive U.S. bombing raids, combined with the rest of the world’s response.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 16, 2026

“Paramount needs to test Netflix’s pain threshold without having to bid too high,” Yoon wrote.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026

The Traitors contestant Elen Wyn has said she was laughed at by a GP and told she had a low pain threshold during her 10-year wait for an endometriosis diagnosis.

From BBC • Feb. 25, 2025

“And over time, the pain threshold will increase even more.”

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 9, 2024

Instead, the agency explained that "everyone's pain threshold is different" and the breast cancer-screening procedure is more often described as "temporary discomfort."

From Salon • Jul. 21, 2023

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