painful
/ˈpeɪn.fl̩/
adjective
Causing pain or distress, either physical or mental.
NWL
Collins
ENABLE
Adjective 4 meanings
Causing pain or distress, either physical or mental.
Afflicted or suffering with pain (of a body part or, formerly, of a person).
Requiring effort or labor; difficult, laborious.
Very bad, poor.
“His violin playing is painful.”
Where it comes from
Etymology
From Middle English paynful, peinful, peynful, paynefull, peynefull, equivalent to pain + -ful. Compare Danish pinefuld (“painful”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar
excruciatingtorturousagonizingailsomegroanfulhellishhurtfulbruising
Opposite
PAINFUL at a glance
PAINFUL has 7 letters and scores 12 points in Scrabble (P 3 + A 1 + I 1 + N 1 + F 4 + U 1 + L 1) and 16 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #4,100 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with painful
All rhymesOne letter away
- GAINFUL11
- PAILFUL12
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