Painfull vs. Painful — Which is Correct Spelling?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on March 19, 2024
"Painfull" is incorrect. The right spelling is "painful," meaning causing pain or distress.
Table of Contents
Which is correct: Painfull or Painful
How to spell Painful?
Painfull
Incorrect Spelling
Painful
Correct Spelling
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
Remember: pain + ful = painful.
Recall that "full" becomes "ful" when forming adjectives.
Visualize an injured person saying, "It's painful, not painfull."
Think of the word “colorful” which also has one ‘l’.
Associate "painful" with "harmful," both ending in "ful."
ADVERTISEMENT
How Do You Spell Painful Correctly?
Incorrect: She found the criticism to be unnecessarily painfull.
Correct: She found the criticism to be unnecessarily painful.
Incorrect: The process was long and painfull for everyone involved.
Correct: The process was long and painful for everyone involved.
Incorrect: The injury was much more painfull than she initially thought.
Correct: The injury was much more painful than she initially thought.
Incorrect: He described the experience as deeply painfull.
Correct: He described the experience as deeply painful.
Incorrect: The memory was a painfull reminder of the past.
Correct: The memory was a painful reminder of the past.
Painful Definitions
Causing unease or awkwardness.
It was a painful silence.
Causing emotional distress or sadness.
The news was a painful reminder of the past.
Causing physical discomfort or pain.
The injury was painful to touch.
Difficult or tedious to endure.
The wait was painfully long.
Requiring considerable effort or strain.
The climb was painful but rewarding.
(of a part of the body) affected with pain
Her ankle was very painful
Full of or giving pain
A painful shoulder.
Painful walking.
Causing mental anguish or suffering
It was painful for him to admit he was wrong.
Distressing or embarrassing
A painful silence followed his remark.
Requiring care and labor; difficult or irksome
A painful way of fixing the problem.
Marked by or requiring great care and diligence
Gave the matter painful consideration.
Causing pain or distress, either physical or mental.
Afflicted or suffering with pain (of a body part or, formerly, of a person).
Requiring effort or labor; difficult, laborious.
Painstaking; careful; industrious.
(informal) Very bad, poor.
His violin playing is painful.
Full of pain; causing uneasiness or distress, either physical or mental; afflictive; disquieting; distressing.
Requiring labor or toil; difficult; executed with laborious effort; as a painful service; a painful march.
Causing physical or psychological pain;
Worked with painful slowness
Causing misery or pain or distress;
It was a sore trial to him
The painful process of growing up
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
Causing physical discomfort;
Bites of black flies are more than irritating; they can be very painful
Painful Meaning in a Sentence
The painful truth was that they were no longer friends.
It was a painful decision, but she knew it was the right one.
The dentist promised the procedure would not be too painful.
They shared a painful goodbye at the airport.
The painful realization hit her suddenly.
His back pain became more painful with each passing day.
The loss of their pet was a painful moment for the family.
The athlete endured a painful recovery after the surgery.
He had a painful knee injury from playing soccer.
Watching the old videos was a painful experience for him.
She had a painful sunburn after a day at the beach.
They felt a painful shortage of volunteers for the event.
The memories were still too painful to discuss openly.
The painful sting of rejection lingered for years.
The movie was a painful reminder of the realities of war.
Her words were painful, but he needed to hear them.
Adjusting to the new environment was painful at first.
She described her journey as long and painful.
It's painful to see someone you love in distress.
The book explores the painful effects of loneliness.
Finding a solution was a slow and painful process.
Receiving the news was a painful shock to everyone.
It was painful to watch the team struggle so much.
Painful Idioms & Phrases
A painful reminder
Something that brings back unpleasant memories.
The old school photo was a painful reminder of his awkward years.
Painful process
A task or experience that is difficult and distressing.
Writing her first novel was a long and painful process, but ultimately rewarding.
Painful decision
A choice that causes distress or discomfort.
Leaving her job was a painful decision, but she knew it was necessary for her well-being.
Painful experience
An event or situation that causes emotional or physical distress.
Going through the divorce was a painful experience for both of them.
Painful truth
A fact that is unpleasant to acknowledge but cannot be denied.
The painful truth was that they had grown apart over the years.
Painful loss
The experience of losing something or someone, causing significant sorrow.
The painful loss of their family home in the fire was devastating.
Live through painful times
To endure periods of difficulty and suffering.
The community had to live through painful times before things began to improve.
Common Curiosities
What is the root word of painful?
The root word is "pain."
Why is it called painful?
It's derived from "pain" with the suffix "-ful" meaning "full of."
What is the plural form of painful?
Painful does not have a plural form as it's an adjective.
What is the pronunciation of painful?
/ˈpeɪn.fəl/
Which vowel is used before painful?
The vowel "a."
Is painful an adverb?
No.
Which conjunction is used with painful?
Conjunctions aren't specific to "painful."
Which article is used with painful?
Both "a" and "the" can be used depending on the context.
What is the singular form of painful?
Painful.
Is painful a negative or positive word?
Negative.
What is the verb form of painful?
"Painful" is an adjective; its related verb is "pain."
Which preposition is used with painful?
Prepositions aren't specific to "painful," but "in" can be used as in "in a painful manner."
What part of speech is painful?
Adjective.
What is the opposite of painful?
Painless.
What is the first form of painful?
Painful doesn't have verb forms as it's an adjective.
Is painful a countable noun?
"Painful" is an adjective, not a noun.
How many syllables are in painful?
Two.
What is the third form of painful?
Painful doesn't have verb forms as it's an adjective.
Is painful an abstract noun?
No, it's an adjective.
Is the word painful imperative?
No.
What is another term for painful?
Agonizing.
Is painful a noun or adjective?
Adjective.
What is a stressed syllable in painful?
"pain."
What is the second form of painful?
Painful doesn't have verb forms as it's an adjective.
Is painful a vowel or consonant?
"Painful" is a word containing both vowels and consonants.
Is painful a collective noun?
No.
Is the painful term a metaphor?
Not in itself, but it can be used metaphorically.
How do we divide painful into syllables?
pain-ful.
Which determiner is used with painful?
"That" as in "That painful experience."
How is painful used in a sentence?
"The recovery process was more painful than he had anticipated."
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Feal vs. Feel
Next Comparison
Targeted vs. TargettedAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
