pained
Americanadjective
-
hurt; injured.
-
showing or expressing distress, anguish, or resentment.
a pained look in reply to a sarcastic remark.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of pained
Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; see origin at pain, -ed 2
Explanation
When someone is pained, they're hurt or troubled by something. If you see a boy sitting on the ground beside a battered bicycle looking pained, you should check and make sure he's okay. A pained look on someone's face might mean that they're in physical discomfort. For example, if your sister gives a pained smile after falling hard at the roller rink, she might have bruised, twisted, or even broken something. In many other cases, a pained expression conveys mental pain. When you're deeply upset about something, it's hard to react with much more than a pained smile if your friend tries to cheer you up with bad jokes.
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.
"I want to give my son a dignified burial. I am deeply pained."
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
He was pained and frightened: He’d never seen such a thing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
In doing a television interview in the aftermath, Lewis Ferguson looked pained and upset.
From BBC ● Jun. 20, 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
Sahil looked pained, like he might cry too.
From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon
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.
