1
: feeling pain : hurt
2
: expressing or involving pain
a pained expression
with pained surprise

Examples of pained in a Sentence

She wore a pained expression on her face. He truly looked pained when he heard the news.
Recent Examples on the Web Erin remembers that admission with a pained optimism for what might have been. Emily Harnett, Harper's Magazine, 26 Apr. 2024 The process took time, as the filmmaker wrote at a deliberate and emotionally acute pace, imbuing each page with playful language and the pained irony of a rich inner life set against a more mundane existence. Ben Croll, Variety, 14 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for pained 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pained.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pained was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near pained

Cite this Entry

“Pained.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pained. Accessed 31 May. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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