pang

American  

[pang] / pæŋ /

noun

1. a sudden feeling of mental or emotional distress or longing.

   a pang of remorse; a pang of desire.

   Synonyms:

   stab, prick, throb, ache, twinge

2. a sudden, brief, sharp pain or physical sensation; spasm.

   hunger pangs.

   Synonyms:

   stab, prick, throb, ache, twinge

---

pang British  

/ pæŋ /

noun

1. a sudden brief sharp feeling, as of loneliness, physical pain, or hunger

---

Etymology

Origin of pang

First recorded in 1495–1505; origin uncertain

Example Sentences

The elk had been especially lovely company, and it had given Clare an unusual pang of sadness to watch her leave.

From Literature

Though Rachel has restricted her own access to any sort of gambling sites, she does sometimes have the "pang" to go to the slot machine, but then remembers how far she has come.

From BBC

I feel a pang of guilt watching him go, wondering if I should have relented.

From Literature

The book cover trend, imbued with nostalgia for childhood, promises fiction that grapples with the pangs of adulthood in an age of precarity.

From Los Angeles Times

As I look round the room, I feel a tiny pang.

From Literature

Related Words

• agony
• anguish
• discomfort
• spasm