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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in distress
a state of great suffering of body or mind
a sprained ankle caused him great pain for a week
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in nuisance
one who is obnoxiously annoying
sometimes that child, who apparently never tires of asking questions, can be such a pain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Alicia Wallace, CNN, 21 Mar. 2025
But having said that, having done it twice now, there is more of a sense of understanding procedurally what works and how to streamline it, so our goal is never to draw out people's pain for three years.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 21 Mar. 2025
Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 20 Nov. 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for pain
Noun
While there are arguments that business cycle fluctuations and downturns can carry silver linings for some individuals or economic outcomes, these events come at the cost of others’ pain and hardship, Schwandt said.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN, 21 Mar. 2025
But having said that, having done it twice now, there is more of a sense of understanding procedurally what works and how to streamline it, so our goal is never to draw out people's pain for three years.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
Press interviews seem to physically pain him, as though frittering away time that could be better spent behind the comforting barricade of a keyboard.
—Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 20 Nov. 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for pain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pain
Noun
-
Dehydration contributes to headaches, body aches, dry mouth, and fatigue associated with hangovers.—
Mark Gurarie,
Verywell Health,
19 Mar. 2025
-
There’s certainly the risk of getting any of the common but often hard-to-deal-with long COVID symptoms like fatigue, muscle aches, breathlessness, headaches, difficulty thinking and alterations in taste listed on the World Health Organization website.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes,
17 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
While local authorities have since said the incident spawned from a physical altercation between two attendees, and that firearms were not involved, the resulting melee left at least 10 people with non-life-threatening injuries and numerous claiming emotion distress.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
15 Mar. 2025
-
Garcia’s damages included physical pain, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, humiliation, inconvenience, grief, disfigurement, physical impairment, anxiety and emotional distress, according to a recording of the verdict from Courtroom View Network.—
Ramishah Maruf,
CNN,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
For best results, sort laundry according to material type (towels in one load, delicates in another, paying attention to care instructions) and color. 5.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 Mar. 2025
-
Pay extra care in all communications and be an active listener.—
Kyle Thomas,
People.com,
16 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The filmmakers make easy work of granting them the agency to see their stories through, bucking a backdrop of ignorance to stand up to forces attempting to quiet the voices of impending revolution.—
Holly Jones,
Variety,
21 Mar. 2025
-
One person online compared being severed to code switching at work; another compared it to switching between a public work social media account and a private one.—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
In a meeting that month which Dahl recorded, Turner referred to Williams as a nuisance who had already been dealt with.—
Ronan Farrow,
The New Yorker,
24 Mar. 2025
-
However, residents argue that the alligator, who had been sunning beside a pond on the property for more than a decade, was not a nuisance but that his fate was in fact decided by the new management, who thought the wild animal posed a risk to residents.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA TODAY,
18 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
For me, nothing hurts worse than missing a dose at the start of a rainy period.—
Elizabeth Medeiros,
Health,
22 Mar. 2025
-
The hour concludes with many open questions: Is Jake hurt, or worse?—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Every day brings a sigh of relief and a pang of nostalgia.—
Olga Khazan,
The Atlantic,
18 Feb. 2025
-
Rosie O'Donnell encourages Americans to 'protect your sanity' Although the Emmy-winning host has been enjoying the warm reception from her Irish neighbors, O'Donnell also shared the pangs of homesickness she's been experiencing.—
Edward Segarra,
USA TODAY,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Another video showed a woman wailing in agony over one of the victims.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA TODAY,
22 Mar. 2025
-
On a nation’s struggle and agony; the nature of democracy; Trump vs. Canada; and more On Monday, next to the Hudson River in New York, there was a demonstration.—
Jay Nordlinger,
National Review,
12 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pain. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share