OpenSynonym

pain

/peɪn/

NOUN

1. Physical suffering or bodily discomfort

An ache or bodily suffering, or an instance of this; an unpleasant sensation resulting from a derangement of functions, disease, or injury by violence; hurt.

1.1. Physical pain and bodily discomfort

An unpleasant physical sensation caused by injury, illness, inflammation, or bodily strain.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • Pain shot through his ankle as he twisted it on the uneven pavement.
  • She winced in pain as the dentist drilled into her tooth.
  • Chronic back pain made it difficult for him to sit for long periods.

Related Words

1.2. Specific aches and sharp sensations

A localized or sudden physical discomfort, such as a sharp, throbbing, or recurring ache.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • A sharp pain ran through her shoulder when she lifted the heavy box.
  • He felt a sudden twinge of pain in his lower back.
  • The pain in her tooth became worse whenever she drank something cold.

Related Words

NOUN

2. Mental suffering or emotional distress

The condition or fact of suffering or anguish especially mental, as opposed to pleasure; torment; distress.

2.1. Emotional suffering and anguish

Deep emotional distress caused by grief, loss, disappointment, or difficult personal experiences.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • The artist expressed her emotional pain through her powerful paintings.
  • She carried the pain of losing her closest friend for many years.
  • His words caused her considerable emotional distress.

Related Words

NOUN

3. An annoying person or thing

An annoying person or thing, as in the expression pain in the neck.

3.1. An irritating person or nuisance

A person or thing that repeatedly causes annoyance, inconvenience, or irritation.

Synonyms

Examples

  • The constant interruptions became a real pain during the meeting.
  • That broken printer is such a pain whenever we need to print documents.

Related Words

NOUN

4. Effort or great care

Labour; effort; great care or trouble taken in doing something.

4.1. Effort and hard work

Physical or mental exertion, labor, or trouble undertaken to accomplish a task or achieve a result.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • She took great pains to ensure that every detail of the report was correct.
  • He went to considerable pains to make the event enjoyable for everyone.
  • The project required considerable effort and careful planning.

Related Words

4.2. Care and meticulous attention

Special attention, precision, and conscientious effort devoted to doing something correctly or thoroughly.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • She took great pains to make sure the figures were accurate.
  • The craftsman took pains over every detail of the finished product.

Related Words

VERB

5. To cause physical pain or suffering

To hurt; to put to bodily uneasiness or anguish; to afflict with uneasy sensations of any degree of intensity; to torment; to torture.

5.1. Causing physical discomfort or injury

To cause someone or something to experience bodily pain, hurt, or physical suffering.

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • soothe
  • relieve
  • alleviate
  • assuage
  • heal

Examples

  • The tight shoes pain her feet after a long day of walking.
  • The injury continued to pain him whenever he moved his arm.

Related Words

VERB

6. To cause mental or emotional distress

To render uneasy in mind; to disquiet; to distress; to grieve.

6.1. Causing emotional distress or grief

To make someone feel unhappy, troubled, anxious, or emotionally distressed.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • It pains her to see her children struggling.
  • The news of his departure deeply pained everyone in the family.

Related Words

VERB

7. To inflict suffering as punishment

To inflict suffering upon as a penalty; to punish.