The meaning of PAINFUL is feeling or giving pain. How to use painful in a sentence.

Define painful. painful synonyms, painful pronunciation, painful translation, English dictionary definition of painful. adj. 1. Full of or giving pain: a painful shoulder; painful walking.

PAINFUL meaning: 1. causing emotional or physical pain: 2. If something is painful to watch or listen to, it is so…. Learn more.

If something such as an illness, injury, or operation is painful, it causes you a lot of physical pain. ...a painful back injury. Sunburn is painful and potentially dangerous.

Jan 20, 2026 · Adjective painful (comparative painfuller or more painful, superlative painfullest or most painful) Causing pain or distress, either physical or mental. [from 14th c.] Synonyms: excruciating, …

Painful refers to causing physical discomfort, distress or suffering, often due to an injury or illness. It can also refer to causing emotional or mental distress, upset, or unhappiness, often tied to a distressing …

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025 pain•ful (pān′ fəl), adj. affected with, causing, or characterized by pain: a painful wound; a painful night; a painful …

Learn the meaning of Painful with clear definitions and helpful usage examples.

PAINFUL definition: affected with, causing, or characterized by pain. See examples of painful used in a sentence.

We can't ignore our country's painful history of slavery. His questions brought up a lot of painful memories. It was painful to watch.