pain
Americannoun
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pains
plural
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physical suffering or distress, as due to injury, illness, etc.
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a distressing sensation in a particular part of the body.
a back pain.
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mental or emotional suffering or torment.
I am sorry my news causes you such pain.
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pains,
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laborious or careful efforts; assiduous care.
Great pains have been taken to repair the engine perfectly.
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the suffering of childbirth.
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Informal. an annoying or troublesome person or thing.
verb (used with object)
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pains,
present (3rd person singular)
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pained,
past participle, past
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paining
present participle
verb (used without object)
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pains,
present (3rd person singular)
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pained,
past participle, past
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paining
present participle
noun
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the sensation of acute physical hurt or discomfort caused by injury, illness, etc
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emotional suffering or mental distress
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subject to the penalty of
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Also called: pain in the neck. pain in the arse. informal a person or thing that is a nuisance
verb
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to cause (a person) distress, hurt, grief, anxiety, etc
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informal to annoy; irritate
Synonym Usage
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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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painsimple
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painssimple
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have painedperfect
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has painedperfect
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am painingprogressive
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are painingprogressive
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is painingprogressive
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have been painingperfect progressive
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has been painingperfect progressive
Past
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painedsimple
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had painedperfect
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was painingprogressive
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were painingprogressive
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had been painingperfect progressive
Future
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."
Vocabulary lists containing pain
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.
See Examples For:
“There was never anyone who was more of a pain to gameplan for or try to move the ball against than this guy,” Riley said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026
She also eliminated her joint pain, chronic fatigue and digestive issues, she said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026
“I’m holding space for people’s pain, but also we’re able to hold on to the hope that our faith gives us, that’s strengthening us,” she said, tearing up.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
"I really feel for them - for the pain they've gone through," he said.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
This isn’t real, I told myself as I gritted my teeth against the all too real pain.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
Is this growing pains or the wobble before the fall?
From Slate ● Aug. 7, 2026
In a research note published Tuesday titled “AI Credit: Heads I Win, Tails You Lose,” the global investment-management firm expressed its bearish views on this market, but the authors took pains to qualify that stance.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
“There’s something fun about conflating the physical aches and pains of middle age with the more metaphysical aches and pains of middle age,” says Tropper.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
Most people were eager to share their own experiences: the pains and the pleasures of aging, what they look forward to and reflect back upon.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
The pains continued, as did the need to empty the contents of my stomach, and a vicious cycle ensued.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
He was pained and frightened: He’d never seen such a thing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
Last night, Mexican Americans said no más to our pained past.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2026
Dark pigment pushed into claw-like scratches feels like a peek into a figure’s spiritual void; fleshy hues bring out nicks and lines that enliven characters’ faces—some pained, others contemplative.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
Kurlender said it pained him to see hundreds of thousands of south Lebanese displaced from their villages just minutes away, but thought that Israel's military offensive was necessary.
From Barron's ● Mar. 18, 2026
A pained expression settles onto Mr. Choi’s face, as if he just stepped on a stapler.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
A second person said: "The bolt challenge is paining me because it’s innocent and hardworking people on both sides that are suffering for the wickedness and thoughtlessness of other people. Really unfair."
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2024
“She can feel pain, and she starts crying, saying, ‘It is here and it is rising and it is paining here and here.'”
From Seattle Times ● May 11, 2024
“Oh, it was a hurting, paining feeling going through my heart to know that something like that would happen on this street.”
From Fox News ● Aug. 10, 2019
Your silhouette appears on the paining, sometimes surrounded by a glowing aura.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2019
Tica massaged her back, which was clearly paining her.
From "The Ugly One" by Leanne Statland Ellis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
