Idioms for Pain: 50+ Powerful English Idioms Every Student Must Know!

School life comes with its own comedy-show level pain, like surprise tests, group projects where you do all the work, and essays that appear out of nowhere. That is exactly why you need Idioms for Pain, because plain English just cannot capture the emotional damage of academic life. These idioms make your writing sound sharper, cooler, and way more “main character.” You can spice up your conversation and flex in front of everyone because this blog gives you 50+ Idioms for Pain that hit hard.

Top 7 Idioms For Pain and Hurt Feelings

People get pain after they get hurt in their lives. It could be physical or mental as when you get wounded it happens. People get hurt by others as they hurt their feelings by doing or saying something bad. Additionally, here are some of the Idioms for Pain and Hurt feelings that will help you learn more about these feelings.

Bite the Bullet

The idiom Bite the bullet means to endure a painful or difficult situation without complaining. In popular culture, the origin of this phrase comes from the practice of soldiers biting on a bullet during surgery without anaesthesia. Because the bullet was used as a makeshift mouthguard to prevent the soldier from biting their tongue during the procedure.

Example: Even though the dentist’s drill was hurting her, she decided to bite the bullet and continue with the procedure.

Hit Below the Belt

This idiom is derived from the sport of boxing, where hitting below the beltline is considered an illegal move. The phrase has since transcended its literal meaning and is commonly used metaphorically to describe actions or comments that are unfair, unethical, or hurtful.

Example: During the heated debate, Sarah hit below the belt by bringing up a personal issue that had nothing to do with the discussion.

Break a Leg

This idiom is commonly used to wish someone good luck before a performance. However, it also has a darker meaning related to pain. The origin of this phrase comes from the belief that wishing someone good luck before a performance would bring bad luck. Therefore, instead of wishing good luck, people would say “Break a leg” as a way to wish them the opposite. 

Example: I know you’re nervous about your audition, but just remember to break a leg!

Cut to the Bone

This idiomatic phrase means to cause extreme pain or suffering. The origin of this phrase comes from the idea of cutting so deeply that you reach the bone, which is one of the most sensitive parts of the body. 

Example: The loss of his wife cut him to the bone, and he never fully recovered from it.

Also Read: 10 Best Idioms for Love to Express Your Heart

In a World of Hurt

This idiom means to be in a lot of pain or trouble. The origin of this phrase is unclear, but it is believed to have originated in the United States in the early 1900s. 

Example: After falling off his bike, he was in a world of hurt and had to go to the hospital.

Pain in the Neck

When you say Pain in the neck, then it refers to someone or something that is annoying or troublesome. The origin of this phrase comes from the idea that a literal pain in the neck can be very uncomfortable and distracting. 

Example: My boss is such a pain in the neck; he’s always giving me extra work to do.

A Thorn in One’s Side

This idiom means someone or something that causes ongoing irritation or discomfort. The origin of this phrase comes from the biblical story of Paul, who had a thorn in his side that caused him constant pain.

Example: The noisy neighbours were a thorn in her side, and she couldn’t wait to move out.

Twist the Knife

Twist the knife means to make someone’s pain or suffering worse by adding insult to injury. This phrase comes from the act of twisting a knife after stabbing someone, which would cause even more pain. 

Example: After breaking up with her, he twisted the knife by telling her he never loved her.

Also Read: Top 20 Idioms For Excitement That You Should Know!

50+ Idioms for Pain You Must Know!

Here is an additional list of idioms for pain which you must know and can even use it in your daily life.

Idioms for Pain	Meaning	Example Sentences
Hit the Roof	To become very angry or upset.	When my sister broke my favourite toy, I hit the roof.
Grin and Bear It	Endure something unpleasant without complaint.	Even though the hike was tough, I had to grin and bear it.
Tough Nut to Crack	Something or someone difficult to deal with.	Maths formulas can be a tough nut to crack.
Pain in the Behind	Someone or something irritating.	The slow Wi-Fi is a pain in the behind.
Rub Someone the Wrong Way	To annoy someone.	His bragging always rubs me the wrong way.
Stick in One’s Craw	Something hard to accept.	His unfair comment still sticks in my craw.
A Bitter Pill to Swallow	An unpleasant truth you must accept.	Losing the match was a bitter pill to swallow.
Nip in the Bud	Stop a problem before it grows.	I tried to nip the argument in the bud.
Make Someone’s Blood Boil	Make someone very angry.	The false accusation made his blood boil.
Cry Over Spilled Milk	Worry over something that can’t be changed.	No use crying over spilled milk; let’s fix it.
Jump Out of One’s Skin	To be startled.	The thunder made me jump out of my skin.
On Pins and Needles	Anxious or nervous.	I was on pins and needles waiting for results.
Like Pulling Teeth	Something difficult to do.	Getting him to help is like pulling teeth.
In the Heat of the Moment	Acting without thinking due to emotion.	I said harsh things in the heat of the moment.
Kick the Bucket	To die.	Grandpa joked he’s not ready to kick the bucket.
Suffer in Silence	Endure pain quietly.	She decided to suffer in silence.
As Sick as a Dog	Very sick.	After overeating, he felt as sick as a dog.
Pain in the Butt	Someone or something annoying.	Exams can be a pain in the butt.
Have a Bone to Pick	To have a complaint.	I have a bone to pick with you about yesterday.
Drive Someone Up the Wall	Annoy someone a lot.	His loud chewing drives me up the wall.
Hit a Nerve	Touch a sensitive topic.	Mentioning her grades hit a nerve.
A Pain in the Rear	Someone or something annoying.	The paperwork is a pain in the rear.
A Thorn in One’s Flesh	Something persistently annoying.	His constant humming is a thorn in my flesh.
Get on One’s Nerves	Irritate someone.	Her sarcasm really gets on my nerves.
Make One’s Hackles Rise	Make someone angry.	His rude tone made my hackles rise.
Like a Fish Out of Water	Feeling uncomfortable.	I felt like a fish out of water in the new class.
Feel the Pinch	Experience difficulty (often money).	Families feel the pinch during inflation.
A Sharp Pain	Sudden, intense pain.	I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder.
Like Nails on a Chalkboard	Extremely annoying.	His laugh is like nails on a chalkboard.
Aches and Pains	General discomfort.	After trekking, I had aches and pains all over.
Beating Around the Bush	Avoiding the pain-point topic.	Stop beating around the bush and tell me.
Hard Pill to Digest	Difficult truth to accept.	His decision was a hard pill to digest.
Head Over Heels	Overwhelmed (emotionally).	She was head over heels and it hurt.
Heart in Mouth	Extreme fear or shock.	My heart was in my mouth during the test.
Drag One’s Feet	Delay due to reluctance or discomfort.	He dragged his feet with the assignment.
Add Fuel to the Fire	Make things worse.	Interrupting her added fuel to the fire.
At the End of One’s Tether	Completely exhausted or stressed.	I was at the end of my tether after studying.
Hang by a Thread	In a risky or unstable condition.	My patience is hanging by a thread.
Back Against the Wall	Feeling trapped.	With deadlines close, I felt my back against the wall.
On the Rocks	Feeling emotionally unstable.	Their friendship was on the rocks.
Burn the Candle at Both Ends	Overwork to the point of exhaustion.	I burned the candle at both ends before exams.
Walking on Eggshells	Acting carefully to avoid conflict.	We walked on eggshells around the strict teacher.
Hit the Spot	Something that relieves discomfort.	Cold water hit the spot after practice.
In Deep Water	In serious trouble.	I was in deep water after forgetting homework.
Under the Weather	Feeling slightly ill.	I’m under the weather today.
Knock the Wind Out of Someone	Shock someone deeply.	The news knocked the wind out of me.
Feel the Burn	Feel muscle pain from effort.	You’ll feel the burn after workouts.
Shoot Through With Pain	Sudden sharp pain.	A pain shot through my back.
Break Someone’s Heart	Cause emotional pain.	The news broke his heart.
Heart of Stone	Emotionally cold or unbothered.	He acted like he had a heart of stone.
At the Breaking Point	Extremely stressed.	I was at the breaking point during finals.
Hit Rock Bottom	Reach the lowest emotional moment.	After failing, he felt he hit rock bottom.
Carry the Weight of the World	Feel burdened by responsibility.	She felt like she carried the weight of the world.
In a Tight Spot	In a difficult situation.	I got stuck in a tight spot during the quiz.
A Heavy Heart	Emotional pain or sadness.	She left with a heavy heart.
Not a Walk in the Park	Difficult or painful experience.	Maths is not a walk in the park.
Crack Under Pressure	Fail due to stress.	He cracked under pressure during the exam.

Also Read: Understanding Idioms: Examples and Meanings

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