painful
/ˈpeɪnfʊl
/ /ˈpeɪnf(ə)l/adjective
1(Of a part of the body) affected with pain: her ankle was very painful...
- Tony explained last week that the shins, the area of his body he is offering to have tattooed are the most painful part of the body to get tattooed.
- Alternatively, smoke from burning moxa can be wafted over the painful area of the body using a smoke box.
- In judo this might end up in a throw; in aikido, into a painful arm or body manipulation.
Synonyms
sore, hurting, hurt, tender, aching, throbbing, smarting, burning, irritating, agonizing, excruciating
informal gut-wrenching
1.1Causing physical pain: a painful knock...
- The patches become itchy and painful, causing both physical and psychological discomfort.
- He endured years of painful physical therapy after being adopted by Mia.
- While he was doubled over, she reached for anything heavy, turning onto her stomach with painful difficulty.
1.2Causing distress or trouble: a painful experience...
- Make sure the bike fits you and not the other way round otherwise a few days of cycling might be an uncomfortable or painful experience.
- Often what he expresses is the failure of sight, implying a painful or traumatic experience or image.
- They felt some of the impact of their painful and distressing symptoms had been eased.
Synonyms
distressing, unpleasant, nasty, bitter, awful, disquieting, disturbing, upsetting, traumatic, miserable, wretched, sad, heartbreaking, heart-rending, agonizing, harrowing, mortifying;
unendurable, unbearable, torturous, cruel, uncomfortable, disagreeable
rare distressful
1.3 informal Very bad: their attempts at reggae are painful...
- Going by the contortions of your average rock band, music is a painful and terribly serious duty.
- Racism is a pernicious influence, but it's also a dangerous and painful accusation to level against someone.
- I know it's serious, and very painful, but you can't help laughing when you read that
Derivatives
painfulness
/ /ˈpeɪnf(ə)lnəs / noun ...- Lately I've been thinking - and dreaming - about people I've loved who have died, about the painfulness of losing them and how it never really goes away, just becomes different with the passage of time.
- Having lived alone for periods at one time, I can vouch for its painfulness; and also the opportunity for self-examination.
- Having previously described the painfulness of chest tube removal, my colleagues and I decided to intervene.