pain

1 of 2

noun

ˈpān 

1

a(1)

: a localized or generalized unpleasant bodily sensation or complex of sensations that causes mild to severe physical discomfort and emotional distress and typically results from bodily disorder (such as injury or disease)

acute shooting pains

also : the state marked by the presence of such sensations

was in constant pain

(2)

: a basic bodily sensation that is induced by a noxious stimulus, is received by naked nerve endings, is associated with actual or potential tissue damage, is characterized by physical discomfort (such as pricking, throbbing, or aching), and typically leads to evasive action

b

: mental or emotional distress or suffering : grief

the pain she had felt at those humiliating words

—Morley Callaghan

2

informal : one that irks or annoys or is otherwise troublesome

… almost everything requires a password these days, and it can be a real pain to remember them all.

—Michael Cahlin

—often used in such phrases as pain in the neck or (impolite) pain in the ass/butt

His little sister is a real pain in the neck.

3

pains plural : trouble, care, or effort taken to accomplish something

was at pains to reassure us

4

pains plural : the throes of childbirth

5

: punishment

the pains and penalties of crime

pain

2 of 2

verb

pained; paining; pains

transitive verb

1

: to make suffer or cause distress to : hurt

2

archaic : to put (oneself) to trouble or exertion

intransitive verb

1

: to give or have a sensation of pain

2

archaic : suffer

Phrases

on pain of or under pain of

: subject to penalty or punishment of

made to leave the country on pain of death

Synonyms

Noun

• ache
• pang
• prick
• shoot
• smart
• sting
• stitch
• throe
• tingle
• twinge

Verb

• ache
• hurt
• smart

Examples of pain in a Sentence

Noun

The medication may upset your stomach but if you experience acute abdominal pain call your doctor.

I've had chronic back pain since the accident.

The medicine provides 12 hours of pain relief.

I feel a dull pain if I touch the bruise.

the pain of a difficult childhood

It is a story about the joys and pains of life.

Rush hour traffic is such a pain.

This orange is a pain to peel.

Verb

As much as it pains me to admit it, she was right.

my poor head was paining so from all that racket

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Life itself, with all its toil, drudgery, tragedy, and pain, is weighty enough. —Deborah Treisman, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024

Although prescription opioids are effective for managing pain, their use can lead to some patients developing substance use disorders. —Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024

Verb

While people, by and large, are more likely to have a job and more likely to have higher wages, that doesn’t mean there isn’t still pain in the labor market or within household finances, Gould said. —Alicia Wallace, CNN, 4 Oct. 2024

This approach has been used for spine pain for decades, but it is now being applied more widely to pain from other areas of the body. —Rachael Rzasa Lynn, The Conversation, 25 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French peine, from Latin poena, from Greek poinē payment, penalty; akin to Greek tinein to pay, tinesthai to punish, Avestan kaēnā revenge, Sanskrit cayate he revenges

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 5

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing pain

• complex regional pain syndrome
• feel no pain
• feel someone's pain
• high pain threshold
• in pain
• low pain threshold
• no gain without pain
• no pain, no gain
• on pain of
• pain in the ass/butt
• pain in the neck
• pain-killer
• pain medication/reliever
• pain point
• pain threshold

Kids Definition

pain

1 of 2 noun

ˈpān 

1

: punishment sense 2

under pain of death

2

a

: physical suffering associated with disease, injury, or other bodily disorder

a pain in the back

b

: a basic bodily sensation that is caused by something harmful, is accompanied by physical discomfort (as pricking, throbbing, or aching), and usually makes one try to escape its source

3

: mental distress : grief

4

plural : the suffering experienced during childbirth

5

plural : great care or effort

took pains with their work

painless

-ləs 

adjective

painlessly adverb

pain

2 of 2 verb

1

: to cause pain in or to : hurt

2

: to give or feel pain

Medical Definition

pain

1 of 2 noun

ˈpān 

1

a(1)

: a localized or generalized unpleasant bodily sensation or complex of sensations that causes mild to severe physical discomfort and emotional distress and typically results from bodily disorder (as injury or disease)

acute shooting pains

also : the state marked by the presence of such sensations

was in constant pain

(2)

: a basic bodily sensation that is induced by a noxious stimulus, is received by naked nerve endings, is associated with actual or potential tissue damage, is characterized by physical discomfort (as pricking, throbbing, or aching), and typically leads to evasive action

b

: mental or emotional distress or suffering

2

pains plural : the protracted series of involuntary contractions of the uterine musculature that constitute the major factor in parturient labor and that are often accompanied by considerable pain

her pains had begun

pain

2 of 2 transitive verb

: to make suffer or cause distress to

intransitive verb

: to give or have a sensation of pain

Legal Definition

pain

noun

1

: punishment

2

a

: physical discomfort associated with bodily disorder (as disease or injury)

b

: acute mental or emotional suffering

painless adjective

painlessly adverb