painfulEnglishOxford New American Dictionarypainful /ˈpānfəl, ˈpeɪnfəl / ▸ adjective (of a part of the body) affected with pain: her ankle was very painful. ▪ causing physical pain: a painful knock. ▪ causing distress or trouble: a painful experience change is inevitably slow and painful. – DERIVATIVES painfulness /ˈpānfəlnəs, ˈpeɪnfəlnəs / noun