Meaning & Definition of Painful in English
English⟶
Painful
/penfəl/
adjective
1. Causing physical or psychological pain
- "Worked with painful slowness"
synonym:
- painful
2. Causing misery or pain or distress
- "It was a sore trial to him"
- "The painful process of growing up"
synonym:
- afflictive,
- painful,
- sore
3. Exceptionally bad or displeasing
- "Atrocious taste"
- "Abominable workmanship"
- "An awful voice"
- "Dreadful manners"
- "A painful performance"
- "Terrible handwriting"
- "An unspeakable odor came sweeping into the room"
synonym:
- atrocious,
- abominable,
- awful,
- dreadful,
- painful,
- terrible,
- unspeakable
4. Causing physical discomfort
- "Bites of black flies are more than irritating
- They can be very painful"
synonym:
- irritating,
- painful
Examples of using
If most of us remain ignorant of ourselves, it is because self-knowledge is painful and we prefer the pleasure of illusion.
It was painful.
It was very painful.