noun

pang

PANG/pæŋ/

A sudden, sharp feeling of pain or distress.

A sudden pang in her side makes the woman stop and wince.

An older woman abruptly stops while walking, bending slightly and pressing one hand tightly against her side with a sharp wince, conveying a sudden localized pang of pain.

Etymology

Pang has no securely known root. It first described a sudden spasm of physical pain, then extended to mental or emotional pain, retaining the sense of an acute, intense episode.

In context

YIyi Manhua347:29

Seeing the pain on his face, Su Xue er suddenly felt a pang of heartache.

Shocking! The Campus Beauty Gave Birth to Twins for Me at the Very Beginning!#novel

More examples

A sharp pang in his shoulder makes him stop lifting.
By noon, I feel hunger pangs.
Seeing our old house brings a pang of sadness.

Forms

pang · pangs

Similar words

twinge: Often suggests a milder, briefer pain or uneasy feeling.
spasm: Usually describes a sudden muscle contraction rather than emotional distress.