pain 1 of 2

noun

ˈpān How to pronounce pain (audio)
Definition of painnext
1
as in ache
a sharp unpleasant sensation usually felt in some specific part of the body the child was crying because of a pain in her knee

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2
as in distress
a state of great suffering of body or mind a sprained ankle caused him great pain for a week

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3
as in care
pains plural strict attentiveness to what one is doing asked the movers to take pains to be sure that they didn't damage anything while moving the furniture

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4
as in work
pains plural the active use of energy in producing a result she was at pains to reassure us that everything would be fine

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5
as in nuisance
one who is obnoxiously annoying sometimes that child, who apparently never tires of asking questions, can be such a pain

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pain

2 of 2

verb

as in to ache
to feel or cause physical pain my poor head was paining so from all that racket

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pain
Noun
Relief without a plan never ends up lasting long, and tends to end up making the pain worse in the long run. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026 Anyone with symptoms such as rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss or changes in bowel habits should talk to a doctor regardless of age. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026
Verb
His disaffection baffles his acquaintances and pains his tubercular wife (a superb Quinn Jackson), whose doctor (Lambert Tamin) has only contempt for her husband’s agonizing. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026 Today, mindful of the most recent wars, mindful of all the atrocities com-mitted, this happy fantasy has lost its charm, death has lost its innocence, pain its magnitude, irreversible. — Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pain
  1. ache
  2. distress
  3. care
  4. work
  5. nuisance
  6. hurt
  7. pang
  8. agony
Noun
  • However, around one in five people who are infected develop a fever and moderate symptoms such as body aches, vomiting and diarrhea.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Nothing can ruin your day quite like the dull ache of underwire hoisting up your bust.
    — Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of ache
Noun
  • Three of the world’s four refining hubs are in severe distress.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Like many patients, especially those in acute distress, Clancy was perhaps not always perfectly transparent or coöperative with her medical providers.
    — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of distress
Noun
  • But even when care is available, stigma can still present a huge barrier.
    — Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Alja, who works at an elder care facility, is a bit too eager to host the freeloading Maruša.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of care
Noun
  • After all, the class was her sanctuary through a breakup, during feelings of inadequacy and when she was frustrated with work.
    — Sneha Dhandapani, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The grant will pay for design and preconstruction work for the bridge in the Baker neighborhood.
    — Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of work
Noun
  • Therefore, the state-level attorney general might opt to bring a legal charge of public nuisance against an AI maker and their AI.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Golden State’s stellar defense has quickly developed a reputation for being a nuisance against top guards in particular.
    — Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of nuisance
Verb
  • Analysts had long worried that a collapse of Evergrande could trigger wider risks for China’s property market, hurting homeowners and the broader global financial system.
    — Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Residents in some of those markets continue to raise concerns about drone noise and privacy and how those issues could hurt property values.
    — Annie Palmer, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of hurt
Noun
  • Statements by government lawyers that contradict the official White House line are not merely the results of pangs of conscience.
    — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026
  • Curtin admits to feeling a small pang when a guest drinks only water throughout the meal.
    — Noel Burgess, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of pang
Noun
  • Such is the ecstasy, the agony, of judgment, which was never for their benefit.
    — Lauren Michele Jackson, New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The man with almost no injury was writhing in agony, while the man with a four-inch nail lodged near his brain kept working for six days, not even realizing the nail was there.
    — Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of agony

Phrases Containing pain

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Cite this Entry

“Pain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pain. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pain

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pain

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