PAINFUL

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does painful mean? 

• PAINFUL (adjective)
  The adjective PAINFUL has 4 senses:

1. causing physical or psychological pain

2. causing misery or pain or distress

3. exceptionally bad or displeasing

4. causing physical discomfort

  Familiarity information: PAINFUL used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PAINFUL (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Causing physical or psychological pain

Context example:

worked with painful slowness

Similar:

aching; achy (causing a dull and steady pain)

agonised; agonized (expressing pain or agony)

agonising; agonizing; excruciating; harrowing; torturesome; torturing; torturous (extremely painful)

biting; bitter (causing a sharply painful or stinging sensation; used especially of cold)

chafed; galled (painful from having the skin abraded)

poignant (keenly distressing to the mind or feelings)

itchy (causing an irritating cutaneous sensation; being affect with an itch)

racking; wrenching (causing great physical or mental suffering)

saddle-sore ((of a rider) sore after riding a horse)

raw; sensitive; sore; tender (hurting)

traumatic (psychologically painful)

Also:

harmful (causing or capable of causing harm)

inhumane (lacking and reflecting lack of pity or compassion)

Antonym:

painless (not causing physical or psychological pain)

Derivation:

painfulness (the quality of being painful)

painfulness (emotional distress; a fundamental feeling that people try to avoid)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Causing misery or pain or distress

Synonyms:

afflictive; painful; sore

Context example:

the painful process of growing up

Similar:

unpleasant (offensive or disagreeable; causing discomfort or unhappiness)

Derivation:

painfulness (emotional distress; a fundamental feeling that people try to avoid)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Exceptionally bad or displeasing

Synonyms:

abominable; atrocious; awful; dreadful; painful; terrible; unspeakable

Context example:

an unspeakable odor came sweeping into the room

Similar:

bad (having undesirable or negative qualities)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Causing physical discomfort

Synonyms:

irritating; painful

Context example:

bites of black flies are more than irritating; they can be very painful

Similar:

uncomfortable (providing or experiencing physical discomfort)

Derivation:

painfulness (the quality of being painful)

 Context examples 

I would rather never allude to the past, for it is very painful to me.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A most painful matter to me, as you can most readily imagine, Mr. Holmes.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The water was cold—so cold that it was painful.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

By a painful effort he rolled over on his side.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

It is more painful to me than I can express.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"But there is more to be said," he continued, after a pause painful to both.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Being socially rejected can be a painful emotional experience, but being told sorry may not soften the blow, finds a new study.

(Sometimes You Shouldn't Say Sorry, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Van Helsing has gone away to prepare for the meeting, and his painful part of it.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

The last few inches to the wall of the tepee were crawled with painful slowness and precaution.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

"Now, we must finish with Mignon's song, for Mr. Bhaer sings that," said Jo, before the pause grew painful.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)