pain
PAYN
Pain (noun) means an unpleasant physical sensation caused by injury or illness. Example: “He winced with pain whenever he tried to bend his knee.”
noun
1
An unpleasant physical sensation caused by injury or illness.
"He winced with pain whenever he tried to bend his knee."
"Take a tablet if the pain in your head gets worse."
"She felt a sharp pain in her lower back."
2
Mental or emotional suffering.
"Her poem described the pain of leaving her home country behind."
"Time slowly eased the pain of losing his closest friend."
"The loss of his father caused years of pain."
3
Informal term for an irritating or troublesome person or situation.
"My little brother can be a real pain when I'm studying."
"Parking in the town centre is a pain on Saturdays."
"Filling out these forms is such a pain."
verb
1
To cause someone physical or emotional suffering.
"It pains me to say this, but your essay needs a lot of work."
"Their cruel words pained him far more than he admitted."
"It pained her to see him struggle alone."
How to use pain
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishPhysical or emotional suffering, or, informally, an annoyance.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
chronic pain
a pain in the neck
cause pain
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like pain.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- pains
- Third person singular
- pains
- Past tense
- pained
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He winced with _____ whenever he tried to bend his knee.
Etymology
From Old French peine, ultimately from Latin poena, "punishment" — the same root that gives us "penalty" and "penal."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for pain
See all rhymes for pain →Frequently asked questions
What does “pain” mean?
The word “pain” means an unpleasant physical sensation caused by injury or illness. In plain terms, physical or emotional suffering, or, informally, an annoyance.
How do you pronounce “pain”?
“Pain” is pronounced PAYN (/ˈpeɪ̯n/ in IPA).
How do you use “pain” in a sentence?
Here is “pain” used in a sentence: “She felt a sharp pain in her lower back.”
What is another word for “pain”?
Words with a similar meaning to “pain” include misery and wark.
What is the opposite of “pain”?
The opposite of “pain” — its antonyms — is pleasure.
What part of speech is “pain”?
Depending on how it is used, “pain” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “pain” come from?
The word “pain” comes from Latin. From Old French peine, ultimately from Latin poena, "punishment" — the same root that gives us "penalty" and "penal.".
Is “pain” a common word?
“Pain” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between 'pain' and 'pane'?
They sound identical but mean very different things. 'Pain' is an unpleasant physical or emotional sensation, as in back pain. 'Pane' is a flat sheet of glass in a window or door, as in a window pane. They are homophones, so spelling and context are the only ways to tell them apart.
What are the main types of pain?
Doctors often divide pain into acute pain, which is short-term and linked to a specific injury, and chronic pain, which lasts for months or longer. Pain is also described by how it feels, such as sharp, dull, throbbing, or burning, and the term extends to emotional pain, meaning deep distress.
Can pain be measured?
Pain cannot be measured directly like temperature, because it is a personal experience. Instead, clinicians use rating scales, asking you to score it from zero to ten or point to faces showing distress. These tools help track how severe the pain is and whether treatment is helping over time.
Is pain always a bad thing?
Although it feels unpleasant, pain serves a vital protective purpose. It warns you of injury or illness and makes you stop harmful activity, pull away from danger, or seek help. People who cannot feel pain are at serious risk of unnoticed injuries, so the sensation, while unwelcome, is genuinely useful.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include pain:
