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painful

KIRU

painful

Pronunciation

IPA Phonetic Spelling of "painful"

IPA: /ˈpeɪnfəl/

  • First syllable:

    • /peɪ/

      • /p/ - Voiceless bilabial stop

      • /eɪ/ - Monophthong, mid-front unrounded vowel

  • Second syllable:

    • /nfəl/

      • /n/ - Voiced alveolar nasal

      • /f/ - Voiceless labiodental fricative

      • /əl/ - Syllabic /l/

Word Form Variations

  • Since "painful" is already an adjective, there are no direct variations for singular, plural, or other number forms. However, it can be used to modify nouns of different numbers:

    • Singular: a painful tooth, a painful experience

    • Plural: painful teeth, painful experiences

    If you're looking for related words with different forms, you could consider:

    • Verb: pain (to cause physical or emotional suffering)

    • Noun: pain (physical or emotional suffering)

    • Adjective: painful, painless (free from pain)

Definitions, Synonyms, Antonyms

Adjective

  • Definition: Causing physical or emotional suffering; unpleasant or distressing.

  • Synonyms: agonizing, excruciating, torturous, miserable, distressing

  • Antonyms: pleasant, enjoyable, delightful, comfortable, painless

Adverb

  • Definition: In a way that causes pain or suffering; with great difficulty or effort.

  • Synonyms: painfully, excruciatingly, miserably, agonizingly

  • Antonyms: pleasantly, comfortably, easily, effortlessly

Examples of Use

Books

  • "The wound was painful and bleeding heavily." (Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet)

  • "The painful truth is that many people are still living in poverty." (A.R. Rahman, "Jai Ho")

Newspapers

  • "The painful memories of the war continue to haunt the survivors." (The New York Times)

  • "The painful reality of climate change is becoming increasingly apparent." (The Guardian)

Online Publications

  • "The painful experience of losing a loved one can be overwhelming." (Psychology Today)

  • "The painful truth about social media is that it can be addictive." (The Atlantic)

Entertainment Mediums and Platforms

  • "It was a painful breakup, but I knew it was for the best." (A popular TV show)

  • "The painful loss of a character in the movie was a major plot point." (A film review)

General Public Discourse

  • "The painful truth is that racism still exists in our society." (A speech by a politician)

  • "The painful experience of discrimination can have a lasting impact on a person's life." (A news article)

10 Famous Quotes Using the term Painful

  1. "The only thing worse than a painful truth is a comfortable lie." (Unknown)

  2. "Growth comes from painful experiences." (Unknown)

  3. "The most painful thing is to love someone and have them not love you back." (Unknown)

  4. "The painful truth is better than a comforting lie." (Unknown)

  5. "Sometimes, the most painful things are the ones we love the most." (Unknown)

  6. "The painful truth is that life is not always fair." (Unknown)

  7. "It's painful to let go, but it's even more painful to hold on to something that's gone." (Unknown)

  8. "The painful truth is that you can't control everything." (Unknown)

  9. "The painful truth is that happiness is a journey, not a destination." (Unknown)

  10. "The most painful thing is to have someone love you and then leave you." (Unknown)

Etymology

Painful comes from the old English word "pēanfūl," which means "full of pain." This word was made up of two parts:

  • Pēan: This part means "pain."

  • Fūl: This part means "full of."

So, "pēanfūl" literally means "full of pain." Over time, the word changed a little bit in pronunciation and spelling, but the meaning stayed the same. Today, we use "painful" to describe something that causes physical or emotional suffering.

Phrases + Idioms Containing the term Painful

Using "Painful"

  • Painful truth: A harsh or unpleasant reality.

  • Painful memory: A memory that causes suffering or distress.

  • Painful lesson: A difficult experience that teaches something important.

Using Synonyms for Similar Effect

  • A thorn in one's side: A constant source of irritation or annoyance.

  • To be on pins and needles: To be anxious or nervous.

  • To be in agony: To be suffering from extreme pain.

Note: While "painful" is a common adjective, it's less frequently used in idioms or fixed phrases compared to other words like "sad," "angry," or "happy." This might be due to its direct and straightforward meaning, which makes it less suitable for figurative language.

Posts Related to Painful

Source Information

Definition of painful from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.