noun
Etymology
Origin of pang
First recorded in 1495–1505; origin uncertain
Explanation
A pang is a sharp jab or an intense hurt that comes on suddenly. If you've felt an all-of-a-sudden, deep sadness that seems to hit you even in the back of the eyes, you've probably had a pang of emotion over a loss or a tragic story. You can feel a physical pain or pang right when you get hurt, or you might suffer a pang of guilt that keeps popping up if you don't own up to something bad. Pang sounds close to pain, and it is pain, but it has a sharper edge — it's intense and comes on fast. A childbirth pain often is called a pang, because it's such a unique type of hurting. Having a pang of regret can be almost as sharp.
Vocabulary lists containing pang
Where the Red Fern Grows
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Maus I: My Father Bleeds History
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Unit 1: Telling Details
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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.
And that’s perfectly OK for them, because they won’t suffer a pang of guilt because of their decision, and they won’t actually feel better about accepting the $150 if they give half of it away.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026
I’m relieved, yet hit with a pang of guilt.
From Salon • Mar. 3, 2026
At first, even he felt a momentary pang of caution.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026
When the cast was announced for the films back in the early 2000s, I remember feeling a pang of jealousy – Emma Watson was fine, but wasn't I the real Hermione Granger?
From BBC • May 31, 2025
Waiting for this sudden pang in my chest to go away.
From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day
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.
