painful

[ peyn-fuhl ]

adjective

1. affected with, causing, or characterized by pain:

   a painful wound; a painful night; a painful memory.

   Synonyms: excruciating, agonizing

2. laborious; exacting; difficult:

   a painful life.

   Synonyms: arduous

   Antonyms: easy

3. Archaic. painstaking; careful.

painful

/ ˈpeɪnfʊl /

adjective

1. causing pain; distressing

   a painful duty

2. affected with pain

   a painful leg

3. tedious or difficult
4. informal.
   extremely bad

   a painful performance

Derived Forms

• ˈpainfully, adverb
• ˈpainfulness, noun

Other Words From

• painful·ly adverb
• painful·ness noun
• over·painful adjective
• over·painful·ly adverb
• over·painful·ness noun
• un·painful adjective
• un·painful·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of painful¹

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; pain, -ful

Example Sentences

Emily's symptoms started when she was 12, with periods so painful and heavy that she missed school and became anaemic.

From BBC

A rash can then develop, which can be extremely itchy or painful.

From BBC

Sadat said his client was now dealing with painful boils.

From Los Angeles Times

There are many within the faith who have experienced this as a deeply painful time and for whom the direction the institution takes now is profoundly important.

From BBC

Many of them will soon feel the negative consequences and painful results of their decision to turn their backs on democracy and freedom very soon.

From Salon

Related Words

• agonizing
• arduous
• awful
• difficult
• dire
• distasteful
• distressing
• excruciating
• hard
• harrowing
• heart-wrenching
• hurtful
• severe
• tedious
• terrible
• troublesome
• uncomfortable
• unpleasant