adverb
painfully
PAYN-fuh-lee
adverb
1
In a way that shows or causes pain.
"She limped painfully across the room after twisting her ankle."
"He was painfully aware that everyone was staring at him."
2
To an uncomfortable or excessive degree; very.
"The meeting dragged on at a painfully slow pace."
"His jokes were painfully unfunny."
How to Use Painfully
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishIn a manner that involves or suggests pain, or as an intensifier meaning "extremely" (usually about something unpleasant).
Common pairings
painfully obvious
painfully slow
painfully aware
painfully thin
Word Forms
more painfully comparative, most painfully superlative
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She limped _____ across the room after twisting her ankle.
Etymology
From Middle English peinfully, built from painful plus the adverb ending -ly.