painless

American  

[peyn-lis] / ˈpeɪn lɪs /

adjective

1. without pain; causing little or no pain.

   painless dentistry; a painless cure.

2. Informal. not difficult; requiring little or no hard work or exertion.

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painless British  

adjective

1. not causing pain or distress

2. not affected by pain

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Other Word Forms

• painlessly adverb
• painlessness noun

Etymology

Origin of painless

First recorded in 1560–70; pain + -less

Explanation

Anything that's painless doesn't hurt at all. A painless medical procedure (like having blood drawn) might be a little scary, but it's actually very easy. Getting your teeth cleaned at the dentist should be a painless process, although getting a filling sometimes hurts a little bit. A painless math test is simple and requires very little work or thought on your part — this is a figurative way to use painless, obviously, since no one would expect a math test to cause you physical pain, even if it's not your strongest subject.

Example Sentences

Yet regime changes are rarely painless, and that might prove to be the case today.

From Barron's • Feb. 24, 2026

To study these changes, the team relied on two painless techniques that can be used while a person rests quietly.

From Science Daily • Feb. 24, 2026

It is harmless, painless and does not affect vision.

From BBC • Jan. 20, 2026

Mr. Bailey is a gentle guide, frequently reassuring readers that his advice is uncomplicated and painless to implement.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 1, 2026

“I promise, it will be as painless as possible,” Dr. Caroll said.

From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste

Related Words

• accessible
• clear
• effortless
• obvious
• simple
• smooth
• straightforward
• uncomplicated