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:
Jess Douek, the lead singer of alternative metal band Mallavora, lives with chronic pain caused by fibromyalgia.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026
The pain in his elbow seems to stem from a flexor strain.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
Garces Perez was the subject of a targeted traffic stop because of his legal status and is now receiving round-the-clock medical care, including pain medication, according to Homeland Security.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
Having owned several commercial, mixed-use and rental properties, Chadwick did not consider HOA fees a particular pain point.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026
But less than a mile in, the pain starts.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
The daughter of another medbed believer recalled her mother’s words: We won’t have those aches and pains anymore; your dad’s heart will be better.
From Slate ● Sep. 22, 2026
But about 40 to 45 minutes into the film, the labour pains began.
From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026
There might be growing pains, but the raw talent is on display.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2026
It also demonstrated that while Maye amazed the football world last season, he’s still just 24 years old and prone to growing pains.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
Whatever he was, he certainly took pains to make himself look nice.
From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia
The actors speak quietly, as if fearful of being overheard, whether or not there is anyone around to hear, and often regard one another with pained or stunned expressions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2026
He was pained and frightened: He’d never seen such a thing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
As the memory of it washes back over you, “Omaha” lingers, like a devastating short story — devastating because it’s about a pained father for whom the road ahead only seems to get narrower.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 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
She stands there, the expression on her face pained.
From "Hurricane Child" by Kheryn Callender
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
Roosevelt had more than just hunger paining him.
From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple
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.
