Painfully

Pronunciation: /ˈpeɪnfəli/

Definitions of painfully

adverb An adverb modifies or describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb. In this case, 'painfully' describes how something is done in a painful manner.

Example Sentences

A1 She was painfully shy and found it difficult to speak in front of others.

A2 The injury was painfully obvious as he winced with every step.

B1 The breakup was painfully difficult for both of them to accept.

B2 The truth of the situation hit her painfully as she realized the consequences of her actions.

C1 The memories of the war haunted him painfully, causing him to relive the trauma every day.

C2 The loss of his best friend was painfully felt, leaving a void that could never be filled.

Examples of painfully in a Sentence

formal The patient described the sensation as painfully sharp and constant.

informal It was painfully obvious that he had forgotten about the meeting.

slang I tried to fix my phone but it's still painfully slow.

figurative The loss of her loved one left a painfully empty void in her heart.

Grammatical Forms of painfully

• past tense: painfully
• plural: painfully
• comparative: more painfully
• superlative: most painfully
• present tense: painfully
• future tense: will painfully
• perfect tense: has painfully
• continuous tense: is painfully
• singular: painfully
• positive degree: painful
• infinitive: to painfully
• gerund: painfully
• participle: painfully

Origin and Evolution of painfully

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Middle English

Story behind the word: The word 'painfully' originated from the Middle English word 'peineful', derived from the Old French word 'peine', meaning punishment or suffering.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'painfully' has evolved to not only describe physical suffering or punishment but also emotional distress or difficulty.