painful

Causing your body to hurt or making you feel very sad or upset.

• The injection was painful.
• Losing her dog was a painful experience.
• It was painful to watch him struggle.

How to use it: painful to do something (It was painful to remember their last conversation.)

Similar words: hurting, distressing

Opposites: painless

Common phrases: painful experience, painful treatment, painful memories

Hurting or sore, especially in a part of your body.

• My knee is painful.
• His shoulder was still painful the next morning.
• Are your joints stiff and painful?

How to use it: painful to the touch (Her ankle was swollen and painful to the touch.)

Similar words: sore, aching

Opposites: painless

Common phrases: painful knee, painful joints, painful to touch

So bad that it is unpleasant or embarrassing to watch or listen to.

• His singing was painful.
• The team's performance was painful to watch.
• Those awkward jokes made the interview painful.

How to use it: painful to watch/listen to (Their poor acting was painful to watch.)

Similar words: awful, terrible, cringeworthy

Common phrases: painful performance, painful to watch, painful to hear