more painful

ADJECTIVE

physically or mentally agonizing

Synonyms

STRONGEST

agonizing arduous awful difficult dire distasteful distressing excruciating hard harrowing hurtful severe tedious terrible troublesome uncomfortable unpleasant

WEAK

aching afflictive biting burning caustic disagreeable dreadful extreme extremely bad grievous hurting inflamed irritated laborious piercing raw saddening sensitive sharp smarting sore stinging tender throbbing tormenting trying vexatious

Antonyms

STRONGEST

agreeable calm easy facile friendly good great helpful mild nice pleasant pleasing simple wonderful

WEAK

delightful painless

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

As the years pass, those questions about identity and allegiance become more painful: What does it mean to be Jewish in America, with antisemitism on the rise?

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 2, 2026

Higher rates could make that shift more painful.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 14, 2026

But the cocktail’s second ingredient, misoprostol, can be used to produce abortion on its own — a method that’s often more painful and slightly less effective.

From Los Angeles Times • May 9, 2026

But he argues it would be far more painful if investigators got this wrong, Stanley says.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Hot tears threatened, but my grumbling stomach was more painful.

From "Fever 1793" by Laurie Halse Anderson