Synonyms for painful

Adjective

1. painful (vs. painless), aching, achy, agonized, agonised, agonizing, agonising, excruciating, harrowing, torturing, torturous, torturesome, burning, chafed, galled, poignant, racking, wrenching, saddle-sore, sensitive, sore, tender, smarting, traumatic, biting, bitter, prickling, stinging, tingling, harmful, inhumane, prickling#1, stinging#1, tingling

usage: causing physical or psychological pain; "worked with painful slowness"

2. afflictive, painful, sore, unpleasant (vs. pleasant)

usage: causing misery or pain or distress; "it was a sore trial to him"; "the painful process of growing up"

3. atrocious, abominable, awful, dreadful, painful, terrible, unspeakable, bad (vs. good)

usage: exceptionally bad or displeasing; "atrocious taste"; "abominable workmanship"; "an awful voice"; "dreadful manners"; "a painful performance"; "terrible handwriting"; "an unspeakable odor came sweeping into the room"

4. irritating, painful, uncomfortable (vs. comfortable)

usage: causing physical discomfort; "bites of black flies are more than irritating; they can be very painful"