Word
pained
US/ˈpeɪnd/
UK/pˈeɪnd/
Definition
v. feeling a strong sense of sadness or worry. You use this to describe someone who is upset by something they have seen or heard.
v. experiencing a deep sense of distress, sorrow, or mental anguish. Often used to describe a facial expression or a reaction to a specific event.
Examples
“She looked pained when she heard the bad news.”
“The witness gave a pained expression as he described the accident to the police.”
“The artist's latest series is a pained reflection on the loss of his childhood home, capturing the emotional weight of the memory through muted colors and heavy brushstrokes.”
Examples
simple
“She looked pained when she heard the bad news.”
contextual
“The witness gave a pained expression as he described the accident to the police.”
complex
“The artist's latest series is a pained reflection on the loss of his childhood home, capturing the emotional weight of the memory through muted colors and heavy brushstrokes.”
Real-World Examples
“There are no words but the pained strength in her vocalisations says it all.” “I can breathe, my chest no longer tight and pained.”