pain

pain — noun

1. an unpleasant physical feeling that tells you a part of your body is hurt or sic

1.nounA2
Definition

an unpleasant physical feeling that tells you a part of your body is hurt or sick

Example

A sharp pain ran through Ava's ankle after the long jump.

collocation: sharp pain

Mr. Chen felt chest pain while carrying boxes up the stairs.

pattern: pain in the chest area

Common collocations
  • sharp pain
  • chest pain
  • back pain
  • pain in your tooth
  • be in pain
Synonyms
  • ache

    usually suggests a steady pain rather than a sudden one

  • soreness

    often used for pain after exercise or pressure

  • discomfort

    weaker and less serious than pain

Antonyms
  • relief

    the feeling when pain becomes less or ends

  • comfort

    a state of being physically at ease

Grammar Patterns

pain in + body part

be in pain

feel pain

Usage Note

Often used with 'in' plus a body part, as in 'pain in my knee' or 'pain in her back'. Distinguish from sense 2, which is about feelings in the mind rather than the body.

Common Mistakes

I have a pain after the race.
I am in pain after the race.
use 'in pain' for general suffering; 'a pain' usually means one specific pain.

2. strong unhappiness in your mind or heart, especially after loss, shock, or worry

2.nounB2
Definition

strong unhappiness in your mind or heart, especially after loss, shock, or worry

Example

After the divorce, the empty apartment caused Sam and Ellie deep pain.

pattern: cause someone pain

Losing the dog left Maya with a deep pain inside.

Common collocations
  • deep pain
  • emotional pain
  • pain of loss
  • hide the pain
  • cause pain
Synonyms
  • grief

    strong sadness, especially after someone dies

  • sorrow

    a broader and slightly more literary word

  • heartache

    often used for emotional pain in close relationships

Antonyms
  • joy

    a strong feeling of happiness

  • peace

    a calm inner state without emotional suffering

Grammar Patterns

cause someone pain

feel pain after + loss

hide the pain

Usage Note

Common after words about loss, death, divorce, or betrayal. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is inner suffering, not a hurt feeling in the body.

3. someone or something that keeps annoying you or making life harder

3.noun
Definition

someone or something that keeps annoying you or making life harder

Example

That broken printer is a pain when the office is busy.

pattern: be a pain

Jake's younger cousin can be a real pain on road trips.

informal: a real pain

Common collocations
  • a real pain
  • be a pain
  • a pain at work
  • a pain to deal with
  • such a pain
Synonyms
  • nuisance

    a slightly more neutral word for something annoying

  • bother

    common for a small trouble or source of annoyance

  • headache

    informal and often used for a difficult problem

Grammar Patterns

be a pain

a pain to + verb

a real pain

Usage Note

Very common in the pattern 'be a pain'. It usually describes an everyday problem or an irritating person, often in a mildly humorous way rather than a very serious complaint.

Common Mistakes

My little brother is pain on long drives.
My little brother is a pain on long drives.
this noun normally needs 'a'.
Idioms

no pain, no gain

idiom

You have to work hard or experience difficulty to achieve something good.

Maya reminded herself that no pain, no gain as she trained for the marathon.

Is it really true that no pain, no gain applies to learning a new skill?

on/under pain of something

idiom

If you do not obey, you will be punished in a specific way.

The soldiers were ordered to stay in camp, on pain of arrest.

Under pain of losing his job, Diego never discussed company secrets.

a pain in the neck

idiom

Someone or something that is very annoying or causes trouble.

My little brother can be a real pain in the neck when he's bored.

Is this traffic jam a pain in the neck for you too?

pain — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Pain' is the broad everyday word for an unpleasant feeling in the body, so it can cover many kinds and levels. 'Ache' often suggests a dull, steady pain, such as a backache after carrying boxes. 'Soreness' is common after exercise, pressure, or a small injury, and usually sounds milder. 'Discomfort' is weaker than 'pain' and can mean only slight physical trouble. 'Agony' is much stronger and is used for extreme pain. So after a fall, you may feel a sharp pain in your knee; after a long hike, you may have soreness in both legs.

pain ↗ache ↗sorenessdiscomfort ↗agony

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

English got this word through Old French from Latin. The older Latin word meant a penalty or punishment. Over time, the idea moved from punishment to the suffering that punishment or injury can cause, which is why modern English uses 'pain' for both bodily hurt and deep emotional suffering.