A better word for pain

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I wish there was a better word for pain. Something that could actually define it. But sad-girl-alone-cute-lovely-adorablepain is felt. How could it be said in words? Droplet of waters called tears, isn’t enough to say what it is. It doesn’t describe the emotion. But does emotion define emotions? Sometimes words can’t say it all. I wish I could just touch and tell you, make you feel it. But im glad it doesn’t work that way, not now. Because its terrible inside what I feel. As though my bones have resonated with the thunder,   my soul has captivated the hot shear of lightning, as though my eyes have drowned in the darkness of clouds, my skin has made a impulsive decision to color the ground red, the rain to wash away the tears I’ve wept. This pain makes me feel so alive, but its so real its like a nightmare from which I’ll never wake up. Does the rainbow taste like honey, will I be able To taste the sweetness after my tongue has corroded with salt. Will I be able to see the colors after the  black shades, or does it end here? With this word called pain? I do not know. I do not know but what i feel, chemical reactions in a brain, but it feels like, the nerves have started a marathon because it hurts everywhere and all over.

An unpleasant sensation caused by physical illness or injury

“I knocked my knee against the chair and felt a sharp pain.”

Mental torment or distress

“Billy is almost over the pain from his break-up with Monique.”

The condition or fact of suffering or anguish

“The hurricane would inflict pain on the townsfolk as they struggled to rebuild their lives.”

A person or thing which causes annoyance

“Having to do my chores every week is such a pain.”

(usually used in plural form «pains») Effort expended towards a particular objective

“He took great pains to resist eating an extra slice of chocolate mud cake.”

(usually used in plural form «pains») Care taken towards a particular objective

“The artist took great pains to ensure he paid attention to every last detail.”

Prolonged cruel or unjust treatment, especially through the exercise of authority

A feeling of intense distaste or disgust

Most often caused by eating too quickly

The act of inflicting or something inflicted

A grumpy, bad-tempered or irascible person

A punishment imposed for breaking a law, rule, or contract

Food for life

A sensation brought about by physical contact

The act or sensation of throbbing

To cause physical pain to

“I am unable to play tennis because my injured elbow still continues to pain me.”

To cause unease in one’s mental state

“The traumatic experience would pain her for several years to come.”

To influence, usually emotionally

To cause physical or bodily damage or injury to

To weaken or lose strength, or to cause this

To cause a feeling of disgust or revulsion in

To feel deep sadness, distress or anguish

Unpleasant or unenjoyable

Related Words and Phrases

See Also

Nearby Words

4-letter Words Starting With

What is the best word for pain and health problems caused by a disease?

I want to use it as term for a collection of symptoms, that I gather.
For example: [headache, stomachache, nausea]
but without a diagnosis which disease caused it

In German I use the word Beschwerden for this. I checked different online translators, which gave these options:

discomfort, afflictions, ailment, disorders, complaints and trouble.

But I think complaints is mainly used when someone is disagreeing with something, right?

By the way, when should I use the plural form?

UPDATE:
I found these dictionary entries:
http://search.medicinenet.com/search/search_results/default.aspx?Searchwhat=1&query=complaints&I1=Search
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/complaints?s=ts
http://www.merriam-webster.com/medlineplus/complaint
http://www.medilexicon.com/medicaldictionary.php?t=19380

Does this mean I can still use complaints?

asked Jun 12, 2014 at 9:28

Thorben's user avatar

ThorbenThorben

1211 silver badge4 bronze badges

2

«Symptoms» is probably the best and simplest word. You might get a more precise answer if you give an example of what you are trying to say.

And use the plural form if there is more than one symptom (both pain and vomiting, for example).

answered Jun 12, 2014 at 9:57

Martin McCallion's user avatar

When it comes to terms that describe a medical illness it is not good to use words such as:

discomfort, ailment, disorders, complaints and trouble

Affliction is OK. In my humble opinion a better way to describe it would be saying they’re or you’re unwell or have a medical illness. This way you dont divulge any medical confidentiality.

Its probably best to sayunwell and if people ask «Whats wrong?», clarify with its a medical illness.

If confidentiality isn’t relevant simply use painful disease.

answered Jun 12, 2014 at 9:51

Jeremy Thompson's user avatar

Jeremy ThompsonJeremy Thompson

2621 gold badge3 silver badges12 bronze badges

2

Complaints may to lay ears connote whining self-pity, which I suspect is why posters so far have disliked it, but it carries no such connotation in medical usage; and indeed it fits the bill quite nicely, as the patient’s own subjective report of what all is wrong, why medical care is sought.

Use the plural when patient complains of more than one thing, as for instance occasional stuffiness and more persistent loss of the sense of smell (anosmia).

answered Jun 12, 2014 at 10:40

Brian Donovan's user avatar

Brian DonovanBrian Donovan

16.1k3 gold badges34 silver badges72 bronze badges

symptomatology

symptomatology: the collective symptoms of a patient or disease

Initial symptomatology includes fever…

answered Jun 12, 2014 at 12:24

Elian's user avatar

ElianElian

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The following expressions: trouble, ailment(s), complaint(s), and disorder(s) are generic terms which cover a wide range of symptoms.

  • heart trouble

  • heart complaint

  • heart disorders

  • heart ailment(s)

Discomfort is perhaps the mildest and least serious sounding medical term, while the other terms insinuate that the person suffering from the ailment/trouble/complaint/ disorder actually needs to seek medical assistance.

answered Jun 12, 2014 at 11:27

Mari-Lou A's user avatar

Mari-Lou AMari-Lou A

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What is a word for pain?

Words related to pain cramp, fever, burn, sickness, soreness, agony, irritation, wound, strain, discomfort, illness, torment, misery, twinge, ache, trouble, injury, tenderness, spasm, heartache.

What are the 4 types of pain?

THE FOUR MAJOR TYPES OF PAIN:

  • Nociceptive Pain: Typically the result of tissue injury.
  • Inflammatory Pain: An abnormal inflammation caused by an inappropriate response by the body’s immune system.
  • Neuropathic Pain: Pain caused by nerve irritation.
  • Functional Pain: Pain without obvious origin, but can cause pain.

    How do you express the word pain?

    pain

    1. ache,
    2. pang,
    3. prick,
    4. shoot,
    5. smart,
    6. sting,
    7. stitch,
    8. throe,

    How do you express deep hurt?

    Describe the feeling by saying it or writing it down. Think about how to help your partner have empathy, or how to help them understand what it’s like to walk in your shoes….Describe Your Feelings

    1. Angry.
    2. Attacked.
    3. Embarrassed.
    4. Happy.
    5. Hurt.
    6. Sad.
    7. Scared.

    What’s the worst type of pain?

    Off-the-charts painful. The worst type of pain?

  • Kidney stones. Trying to pass a kidney stone stuck in the urinary tract can bring people to their knees and straight to the emergency room.
  • Childbirth.
  • Trauma.
  • Shingles.
  • After-surgery agony.
  • Back injury.
  • Major joint osteaoarthritis.
  • How can you tell if someone is faking pain?

    “They get angry or irritable because they start to anticipate you will refuse them. That can be a tip-off.” If the patient says he has taken more of the pain medication than ordered or used it for other purposes or in a different form, these are signs of misuse, Williamson added.

    What is the most unbearable pain?

    Also amongst the NHS’s list of conditions that can cause the most notoriously severe pains are arthritis, appendicitis and migraines. The full list, in no particular order, is as follows: Shingles. Cluster headaches.

    What are the clues for the crossword ” pain “?

    Crossword clues for ‘PAIN’ Clue Answer Pesky kid (4) PAIN “Royal” nuisance (4) What acupuncture relieves, for some (4) Prerequisite for gain? (4)

    Which is the best synonym for the word pain?

    What is another word for pain? pain. Contexts ▼. ▲. Noun. An unpleasant sensation caused by physical illness or injury. Mental torment or distress. The condition or fact of suffering or anguish. A person or thing which causes annoyance.

    Which is the best 3 letter word in Scrabble?

    Sanjeev.NET Scrabble Word Lists. 3-letter words with meaning AAH to exclaim in delight AAL East Indian shrub AAS [aa] (rough, cindery lava) ABA sleeveless garment ABO aborigine ABS [ab] (abdominal muscle) {OSPD3} ABY to pay the penalty for (abye) ACE to make a perfect shot ACT to perform by action ADD to perform addition ADO bustle

    Which is the most common three letter word in English?

    Three letter words are the foundation of English; fundamentals like “and” and “the” make the language work. They occur in virtually every conversation. The following list of common three-letter words — organized by part of speech — are words that we use often.

Thesaurus

Synonyms of pain

  • noun



  • as in ache



  • as in agony



  • as in care



  • as in work



  • as in nuisance

  • verb



  • as in to ache

  • as in ache
  • as in agony
  • as in care
  • as in work
  • as in nuisance
  • as in to ache


  • Phrases Containing



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pain
1 of 2

noun

Definition of painnext

1

as in ache

a sharp unpleasant sensation usually felt in some specific part of the body

the child was crying because of a pain in her knee

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

  • ache

  • pang

  • tingle

  • sting

  • soreness

  • swelling

  • stitch

  • agony

  • twinge

  • discomfort

  • prick

  • suffering

  • sore

  • headache

  • tenderness

  • anguish

  • shoot

  • distress

  • misery

  • inflammation

  • smart

  • hurt

  • injury

  • torture

  • throe

  • torment

  • harm

  • backache

  • sufferance

  • toothache

  • colic

  • damage

  • affliction

  • detriment

  • stomachache

  • gripe

  • earache

  • bellyache

  • complaint

  • charley horse


Antonyms & Near Antonyms

  • ease

  • comfort

  • easiness

  • ease

  • comfort

  • easiness

2

as in agony

a state of great suffering of body or mind

a sprained ankle caused him great pain for a week

Synonyms & Similar Words

  • agony

  • distress

  • anguish

  • misery

  • discomfort

  • torment

  • torture

  • hurt

  • sorrow

  • sadness

  • pang

  • tribulation

  • woe

  • excruciation

  • heartbreak

  • hardship

  • travail

  • ache

  • difficulty

  • affliction

  • heartache

  • rack

  • trouble

  • unhappiness

  • danger

  • strait(s)

  • soreness

  • emergency

  • cross

  • twinge

  • smarting

  • crucible

  • joylessness

  • trial

  • stitch

  • pinch

  • jeopardy

  • rigor

  • throe

  • asperity


Antonyms & Near Antonyms

  • relief

  • alleviation

  • comfort

  • ease

  • solace

  • consolation

  • peace

  • assuagement

  • security

  • wellbeing

See More

  • relief

  • alleviation

  • comfort

  • ease

  • solace

  • consolation

  • peace

  • assuagement

  • security

  • wellbeing

See More

3

as in care

pains plural

strict attentiveness to what one is doing

asked the movers to take pains to be sure that they didn’t damage anything while moving the furniture

Synonyms & Similar Words

  • care

  • carefulness

  • attention

  • scrupulousness

  • closeness

  • conscientiousness

  • meticulosity

  • observation

  • concentration

  • meticulousness

  • watchfulness

  • heed

  • focus

  • responsibility

  • observance

  • effort

  • vigilance

  • heedfulness

  • mindfulness

  • alertness

  • trouble

  • precision

  • advertency

  • painstaking

  • punctiliousness

  • exactness

  • irreproachability

  • advertence

  • bother

  • irreproachableness

  • particularity

  • dutifulness


Antonyms & Near Antonyms

  • negligence

  • inattentiveness

  • heedlessness

  • inattention

  • inadvertence

  • inadvertency

  • inobservance

  • negligence

  • inattentiveness

  • heedlessness

  • inattention

  • inadvertence

  • inadvertency

  • inobservance

See More

4

as in work

pains plural

the active use of energy in producing a result

she was at pains to reassure us that everything would be fine

Synonyms & Similar Words

  • work

  • labor

  • exertion

  • effort

  • trouble

  • expenditure

  • sweat

  • while

  • power

  • toil

  • strain

  • muscle

  • drudgery

  • elbow grease

  • travail

  • energy

  • might

  • grind

  • slog

  • try

  • dint

  • trial

  • go

  • force

  • stab

  • endeavor

  • attempt

  • pass

  • puissance

  • whack

  • shot

  • essay

  • fling


Antonyms & Near Antonyms

  • ease

  • smoothness

  • facility

  • fluency

  • inertia

  • inaction

  • laziness

  • inactivity

  • indolence

  • idleness

  • adroitness

  • quiescence

  • dormancy

  • languor

See More

  • ease

  • smoothness

  • facility

  • fluency

  • inertia

  • inaction

  • laziness

  • inactivity

  • indolence

  • idleness

  • adroitness

  • quiescence

  • dormancy

  • languor

See More

5

as in nuisance

one who is obnoxiously annoying

sometimes that child, who apparently never tires of asking questions, can be such a pain

Synonyms & Similar Words

  • nuisance

  • annoyance

  • pest

  • annoyer

  • headache

  • tease

  • bother

  • gadfly

  • gnawer

  • nudnick

  • pain in the neck

  • persecutor

  • plague

  • nudnik

  • teaser

  • tormentor

  • torturer

  • interrupter

  • heckler

  • harrier

  • tormenter

  • hassle

  • interruptor

  • harasser

  • molester


Antonyms & Near Antonyms

  • smoothie

  • charmer

  • comforter

  • soother

  • smoothy

  • solacer

  • smoothie

  • charmer

  • comforter

  • soother

  • smoothy

  • solacer

pain

2 of 2

verb

as in to ache

to feel or cause physical pain

my poor head was paining so from all that racket

Synonyms & Similar Words

  • ache

  • hurt

  • throb

  • tingle

  • sting

  • smart

  • swell

  • anguish

  • cramp

  • bite

  • itch

  • torment

  • bleed

  • twinge

  • torture

  • suffer

  • rack

  • pinch

  • nag

  • burn

  • pound

  • fester

  • harrow

  • afflict

  • chafe

  • agonize

Phrases Containing pain

  • pain in the neck
  • pain in the neck

Articles Related to pain

alt 5a8c8dbf8acdc

We Prescribe ‘Hunger Pangs’ Over…

You might feel ‘pains’ when hungry, but their recurrence makes them ‘pangs’.

Thesaurus Entries Near pain

pails

pain

pained

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

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“Pain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pain. Accessed 13 Apr. 2023.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pain

Nglish: Translation of pain for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of pain for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pain

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