pained

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.

When I was in second grade, during a parent teacher conference, my teacher was pained to tell my mother that her son would never learn to read.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

Kurlender said it pained him to see hundreds of thousands of south Lebanese displaced from their villages just minutes away, but thought that Israel's military offensive was necessary.

From Barron's • Mar. 18, 2026

But since the pits closed almost four decades ago, residents describe a slow and pained decline as people struggled to get well-paid, stable employment.

From BBC • Feb. 17, 2026

Bero wrote, “In all cases, she manages to make her subjects look dull, ashy, pained and sad, a far cry from the lively and graceful people that they usually are.”

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 13, 2025

She has a pained look on her face.

From "Ask the Passengers" by A.S. King