pained
v. B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈpeɪnd// UK //pˈeɪnd// pained
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.
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.