pang

1 of 2

noun

1
: a brief piercing spasm of pain
the pangs of childbirth
2
: a sharp attack of mental anguish
pangs of remorse
a pang of guilt
a pang of disappointment

pang

2 of 2

verb

panged; panging; pangs

transitive verb

: to cause to have pangs : torment

Examples of pang in a Sentence

Noun those hunger pangs that strike you in the middle of the afternoon
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
My stomach felt empty, every growling pang a sign that my body was mourning the loss of carrying another human, and longed to be filled again. Hetty Lui McKinnon, Bon Appétit, 19 Feb. 2024 Who hasn’t attributed the occasional pang or jab to sleeping in a weird position, slouching at a desk for eight hours, or lurching to grab something off the floor in a slightly wonky way? Sarah Klein, SELF, 5 Mar. 2024 The Deer Hunter is a film about friendship, about the ability to survive, about what Shakespeare called the pangs of unfulfilled love, and about how a great country manages to reconcile with itself after a tragedy. Antonio Monda, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Feb. 2024 Hughes seamlessly steers us through the ups and downs of teenage years, tackling everything from the sting of feeling invisible on your birthday to the pangs of one-sided crushes. Travis Bean, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 But that withdrawal comes with pangs of guilt for being privileged and safe enough to mentally disengage, unlike innocent civilians in Gaza, Israel, Ukraine or dozens of other spots where folks are suffering. Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2024 Still, Ford felt a pang when watching a load of burros leave the site, their ears visible through slats in the trailer. The Arizona Republic, 22 Jan. 2024 Millions of Star Wars fans get nostalgia pangs during the holiday season, when they are accustomed to seeing broadcasts of their beloved movies — around Christmas, especially, but also New Year’s, Memorial Day weekend, Thanksgiving or the Fourth of July. Herb Scribner, Washington Post, 22 Dec. 2023 Other fan service is regrettably on the nose, inducing more groans than pangs of recognition. Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 15 Nov. 2023
Verb
Its sonic trappings are in vogue, but thanks in large part to front-woman Fox Rodemich’s memorable voice, which pangs around the record like a cave bellow, there’s an outlying classic quality to these songs. Dylan Owens, The Know, 16 Feb. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pang.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1502, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pang was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near pang

Cite this Entry

“Pang.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pang. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pang

noun
ˈpaŋ
: a sudden sharp attack of pain or distress

Medical Definition

pang

noun
: a brief piercing spasm of pain see birth pang, hunger pangs

More from Merriam-Webster on pang

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