Sorrow vs. Pain — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on April 22, 2024
Sorrow is an emotional response to loss or disappointment, deeply linked to grief and sadness, while pain refers to physical or emotional discomfort caused by injury or distress.
Difference Between Sorrow and Pain
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Sorrow typically emerges from emotional events like the death of a loved one or the end of a significant relationship, reflecting a deep sense of loss and longing. On the other hand, pain can be physical, stemming from bodily harm, or emotional, arising from psychological trauma.
Sorrow often has a lingering effect, leading to periods of reflection and adjustment to new realities, whereas pain can be more immediate and demanding of attention, compelling one to react to alleviate its source.
While sorrow is generally associated with quieter, introspective emotions and a process of healing, pain, especially physical, is usually treated with medical interventions and therapies aimed at reducing symptoms.
In terms of expression, sorrow might be shown through tears, withdrawal, or a somber demeanor, while pain often manifests physically through grimaces, cries, or protective behavior around the affected area.
Social and cultural contexts also influence the experience and expression of sorrow and pain. Sorrow might be managed privately or with close family, whereas pain might involve broader social support, including healthcare professionals.
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Comparison Chart
Type
Emotional
Can be emotional or physical
Trigger
Loss, disappointment
Injury, distress
Duration
Often prolonged
Can be acute or chronic
Treatment
Emotional support, therapy
Medical intervention, therapy
Expression
Tears, withdrawal
Grimaces, cries, protective behavior
Compare with Definitions
Sorrow
Grief associated with personal affliction.
Sorrow enveloped her as she received the news of her friend's illness.
Pain
A physical suffering or discomfort caused by illness or injury.
She felt a sharp pain in her knee after the fall.
Sorrow
An emotional pain associated with, or characterized by, sadness.
Movies often depict sorrow through powerful, emotive scenes.
Pain
The sensation of physical discomfort.
The sudden pain in his chest alarmed him.
Sorrow
A feeling of deep distress caused by loss or disappointment.
The sorrow she felt after her dog passed away was overwhelming.
Pain
A symptom of some physical hurt or disorder.
The constant pain made it difficult for her to concentrate.
Sorrow
A state of being sad or mournful.
He was in a state of sorrow during the funeral.
Pain
Mental or emotional suffering.
The pain of his betrayal lingered for years.
Sorrow
A lasting emotional suffering often from bereavement.
She carried a quiet sorrow within her since her partner's departure.
Pain
Emotional distress; a fundamental feeling that people try to avoid.
The pain of rejection was harder to handle than he expected.
Sorrow
A feeling of deep distress caused by loss, disappointment, or other misfortune suffered by oneself or others
A bereaved person needs time to work through their sorrow
Pain
Pain is a distressing feeling often caused by intense or damaging stimuli. The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage." In medical diagnosis, pain is regarded as a symptom of an underlying condition.
Sorrow
Feel or display deep distress
A woman had cried all night, sorrowing over the death of her husband
Pain
Highly unpleasant physical sensation caused by illness or injury
She's in great pain
Chest pains
Sorrow
Mental suffering caused by loss, disappointment, or misfortune, or an instance of this
Tried to assuage her sorrows.
Pain
Great care or trouble
She took pains to see that everyone ate well
Sorrow
A source or cause of sorrow; a misfortune
"I must struggle through my sorrows and difficulties as I can" (Jane Austen).
Pain
Cause mental or physical pain to
It pains me to say this
Her legs had been paining her
Sorrow
Expression of sorrow, or an instance of this
I listened to his sorrows.
Pain
An unpleasant feeling occurring as a result of injury or disease, usually localized in some part of the body
Felt pains in his chest.
Sorrow
To feel or express sorrow.
Pain
Bodily suffering characterized by such feelings
Drugs to treat pain.
Sorrow
(uncountable) unhappiness, woe
Pain
Mental or emotional suffering; distress.
Sorrow
(countable) usually in plural An instance or cause of unhappiness.
Parting is such sweet sorrow.
Pain
An instance of this
The pains of humiliation.
Sorrow
(intransitive) To feel or express grief.
Pain
Pains The pangs of childbirth.
Sorrow
(transitive) To feel grief over; to mourn, regret.
Pain
Pains Great care or effort
Taking pains with one's work.
Sorrow
The uneasiness or pain of mind which is produced by the loss of any good, real or supposed, or by diseappointment in the expectation of good; grief at having suffered or occasioned evil; regret; unhappiness; sadness.
How great a sorrow suffereth now Arcite!
The safe and general antidote against sorrow is employment.
Pain
(Informal) A source of annoyance; a nuisance
Stuffing all these envelopes is a real pain.
Sorrow
To feel pain of mind in consequence of evil experienced, feared, or done; to grieve; to be sad; to be sorry.
Sorrowing most of all . . . that they should see his face no more.
I desire no man to sorrow for me.
Pain
To cause physical pain to; hurt
My feet really pained me after the hike.
Sorrow
An emotion of great sadness associated with loss or bereavement;
He tried to express his sorrow at her loss
Pain
To cause mental or emotional distress to
"It pained him to remember every little thing about her" (John Irving).
Sorrow
Sadness associated with some wrong done or some disappointment;
He drank to drown his sorrows
He wrote a note expressing his regret
To his rue, the error cost him the game
Pain
An ache or bodily suffering, or an instance of this; an unpleasant sensation, resulting from a derangement of functions, disease, or injury by violence; hurt.
The greatest difficulty lies in treating patients with chronic pain.
I had to stop running when I started getting pains in my feet.
Sorrow
Something that causes great unhappiness;
Her death was a great grief to John
Pain
(uncountable) The condition or fact of suffering or anguish especially mental, as opposed to pleasure; torment; distress
In the final analysis, pain is a fact of life.
The pain of departure was difficult to bear.
Sorrow
The state of being sad;
She tired of his perpetual sadness
Pain
An annoying person or thing.
Your mother is a right pain.
Sorrow
Feel grief; eat one's heart out
Pain
Suffering inflicted as punishment or penalty.
You may not leave this room on pain of death.
Pain
Labour; effort; great care or trouble taken in doing something.
Pain
Any of various breads stuffed with a filling.
Gammon pain; Spanish pain
Pain
(transitive) To hurt; to put to bodily uneasiness or anguish; to afflict with uneasy sensations of any degree of intensity; to torment; to torture.
The wound pained him.
Pain
(transitive) To render uneasy in mind; to disquiet; to distress; to grieve.
It pains me to say that I must let you go.
Pain
To inflict suffering upon as a penalty; to punish.
Pain
To feel pain; to hurt.
Please help me, I am paining hard.
Pain
Punishment suffered or denounced; suffering or evil inflicted as a punishment for crime, or connected with the commission of a crime; penalty.
We will, by way of mulct or pain, lay it upon him.
Interpose, on pain of my displeasure.
None shall presume to fly, under pain of death.
Pain
Any uneasy sensation in animal bodies, from slight uneasiness to extreme distress or torture, proceeding from a derangement of functions, disease, or injury by violence; bodily distress; bodily suffering; an ache; a smart.
Pain
Specifically, the throes or travail of childbirth.
She bowed herself and travailed, for her pains came upon her.
Pain
Uneasiness of mind; mental distress; disquietude; anxiety; grief; solicitude; anguish. Also called mental pain.
In rapture as in pain.
Pain
See Pains, labor, effort.
Pain
To inflict suffering upon as a penalty; to punish.
Pain
To put to bodily uneasiness or anguish; to afflict with uneasy sensations of any degree of intensity; to torment; to torture; as, his dinner or his wound pained him; his stomach pained him.
Excess of cold, as well as heat, pains us.
Pain
To render uneasy in mind; to disquiet; to distress; to grieve; as, a child's faults pain his parents.
I am pained at my very heart.
Pain
A symptom of some physical hurt or disorder;
The patient developed severe pain and distension
Pain
Emotional distress; a fundamental feeling that people try to avoid;
The pain of loneliness
Pain
A somatic sensation of acute discomfort;
As the intensity increased the sensation changed from tickle to pain
Pain
A bothersome annoying person;
That kid is a terrible pain
Pain
Something or someone that causes trouble; a source of unhappiness;
Washing dishes was a nuisance before we got a dish washer
A bit of a bother
He's not a friend, he's an infliction
Pain
Cause bodily suffering to
Pain
Cause emotional anguish or make miserable;
It pains me to see my children not being taught well in school
Common Curiosities
What is the primary difference between sorrow and pain?
Sorrow is mainly emotional, linked to loss and grief, while pain can be either physical or emotional, arising from injury or distress.
Is it possible to feel sorrow without an obvious loss?
Yes, one can experience sorrow due to existential concerns, empathy with others' suffering, or personal regrets.
How can one alleviate sorrow?
Sorrow can be alleviated through emotional support, therapy, and allowing time for grief.
How do cultures differ in handling sorrow and pain?
Cultural approaches can vary widely, from the rituals surrounding mourning to the medicalization of pain.
What are common causes of pain?
Common causes include injuries, diseases, and emotional distress.
Can sorrow lead to physical pain?
Yes, intense sorrow can manifest physically, sometimes leading to symptoms like headaches or fatigue.
Can animals experience sorrow and pain?
Animals are known to experience pain and likely feel forms of sorrow, particularly in social species.
What are the symptoms of emotional pain?
Symptoms include sadness, despair, and a sense of emptiness.
Is sorrow ever beneficial?
Sorrow can lead to personal growth and increased empathy towards others.
How long can sorrow last?
Sorrow can last for an extended period, often varying greatly from person to person.
What is chronic pain?
Chronic pain is a persistent pain that continues for weeks, months, or even longer.
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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.
