# painfully

/ˈpeɪnfəɫi/ (US) · /pˈeɪnfəli/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/painfully
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. causing physical pain

adverb · CEFR B2

in a way that causes physical pain or shows that someone is hurting.

For teachers: in a manner that inflicts or manifests physical suffering.

- He moved painfully across the room after his leg surgery.
- The athlete limped painfully toward the sidelines, clutching his hamstring while the trainers rushed to assist him.

### 2. extremely and uncomfortably

adverb · CEFR B2

used to emphasize that something is very slow, difficult, or embarrassing.

For teachers: to an extreme and distressing degree; often used to modify adjectives describing slowness, honesty, or social awkwardness.

- The progress on the new road was painfully slow for the local drivers.
- The silence in the boardroom was painfully awkward after the CEO dismissed the proposal without a second thought.

### 3. very badly

adverb · CEFR C1 · Informal

in a way that is very poor or of low quality.

For teachers: used to describe a performance or situation that is remarkably poor or inadequate.

- The play was painfully acted, and many people left before the end.
- The presentation was painfully delivered, lacking both the necessary data and any sense of professional engagement with the audience.

## Examples

- The internet connection is painfully slow today.
- He was painfully shy as a child and found it difficult to make friends at school.
- The committee moved at a painfully sluggish pace, debating every minor detail while the deadline for the project rapidly approached.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.