painful

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.

David’s eventual decision to leave the priesthood for Margaret is painful and momentous.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

"It's very painful, very deeply personal writings that were never meant for the world to see, but there's nothing in there I'm ashamed of," Brockman said in court.

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

After surgery last week to try to regain his hearing, Moore is in a painful recovery process with no certainty that his hearing will return, his attorney said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026

He warned that without urgent action, places like south Wales risked repeating the painful industrial transitions of the past.

From BBC • May 4, 2026

Theirs is a painful story that we need not go into just yet.

From "Secrets at Sea" by Richard Peck