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pain

pain

∞ 1.0
An unpleasant feeling in the body because of injury or illness
  • noun
  • /peɪn/
: dolor
  • After the surgery, she experienced a sharp pain in her abdomen.
  • chronic pain
  • severe pain
  • chest pain

I still have a baseline of pain most days.

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Examples

  • Four months later, the patient presented again with pain and swelling in the same area.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Without any kind of warning, he developed pains in his chest and he could not breathe.

    Academic text (2012)
  • - You are a man in pain, Mr. Smith.

  • The pain only gets worse.

  • Can you not see that he is in great pain when he speaks?

  • He's just screaming in pain.

  • During the first two weeks, the highest priority was pain reduction and reduction of edema.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Sitting with, processing, and containing pain is some of the hardest work that we therapists do.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Helps with the pain.

  • He winced in agony as the pain from his injury intensified.

Synonyms

suffering
vspain
636 2.8

Pain and trouble that a person feels in the body or mind

is the specific physical form of this distress rather than the whole state
hurt
vspain
149 1.0

A feeling of emotional or physical pain

focuses only on physical suffering or bodily discomfort
agony
vspain
135 3.9

A very strong physical or mental pain

is the general bodily suffering term and not the extreme form
discomfort
vspain
119 3.2

A feeling of physical pain or mental unease

denotes stronger bodily suffering rather than mild unease
anguish
vspain
96 6.8

A very strong, painful feeling of worry or sadness

is the ordinary bodily suffering that is usually less extreme
tenderness
vspain
  • Specialized
15 4.5

Pain you feel when an area is sore or sensitive to touch

covers all bodily suffering, not only touch caused sensitivity
sharp pain
vspain
10 3.3

A sudden strong feeling of hurt in one small part of the body

is broader, covering any bodily suffering not only sudden intense cases
pain sensation
vspain
  • Specialized
1 3.7

A feeling of hurt in the body caused by injury or illness

is the general term for bodily suffering or physical discomfort
4.8

A sharp uncomfortable feeling in the body when something hurts

is broader and covers all bodily suffering, not only acute episodes

Antonyms

440 1.0

A feeling of comfort when pain or worry goes away

190 1.0

A feeling of physical ease and being free from pain

Idioms

pain in the ass
  • Offensive
109 9.2

A person or thing that is very annoying and difficult to deal with

To understand when someone is having a hard time and show you care

pain in the neck
  • Informal
11 4.1

A person or thing that is annoying and causes trouble

To have no pain because of medicine or alcohol

To understand and share someone's sadness when they are having a hard time

1 7.4

Something that causes trouble or makes people annoyed

Make something good from pain or a bad situation

Compounds

60 2.7

A feeling of discomfort in the chest that may mean a heart or lung problem

A feeling of hurt in the stomach area between the chest and hips

real pain
  • Informal
24 5.3

Something that causes a lot of trouble and annoyance

15 1.1

A tablet you take to make body pain less

10 3.3

A sudden strong feeling of hurt in one small part of the body

royal pain
  • Offensive
8 8.0

A very annoying person or thing that causes trouble

pain threshold
  • Specialized
5 4.2

The smallest amount of pressure or touch that causes pain

1 3.4

Strong pain in the stomach and lower back when a woman gives birth

referred pain
  • Specialized
1 7.2

Pain felt in one part of the body that comes from another part

phantom limb pain
  • Specialized
1 7.2

An uncomfortable feeling that seems to come from a missing arm or leg

1 4.4

An unpleasant feeling in the face, often near the jaw or cheek

pain sensation
  • Specialized
1 3.7

A feeling of hurt in the body caused by injury or illness

Very strong pain that can make you cry

lumbar pain
  • Specialized
3.7

Pain in the lower back that often comes from muscle strain or injury

pain unit
  • Specialized
6.6

A number used to show how strong a person's pain is

pain in the anus
  • Offensive
9.4

Someone or something that causes a lot of trouble and annoyance

8.8

A natural drive that makes people seek pleasure and avoid pain, often in early childhood

unutterable pain
  • Literature
8.6

A feeling of pain too strong to describe in words

How Painful

agony
135 3.9
pain
∞ 1.0
ache
92 1.3
soreness
11 2.3
discomfort
119 3.2

Surface Forms

pain singular
pains plural

Etymology

The word pain comes from the Latin poena, which meant 'penalty' or 'punishment'. A punishment causes hurt, so the word came to mean the physical hurt or suffering in the body.