What does stung mean?
Stung is the past tense and past participle of sting, a verb describing the experience of being affected by a sharp or painful sensation. Its most literal use refers to an insect, plant, chemical, or similar source that has caused pain, as in the wasp stung her hand. The word is also widely used figuratively for people who feel hurt, offended, or wounded in their pride by criticism, rejection, or an insensitive remark. In this figurative sense, stung often suggests a sharp and immediate emotional impact. The form can function as an adjective before or after a linking verb, particularly in expressions such as stung pride or stung by an insult. Together, its literal and figurative uses make it a concise description of both physical pain and the sharper discomfort of feeling wounded.
The past tense and past participle of sting: to have been affected by a sharp or painful sensation.
"The nettle stung his legs."
Can be used transitively in the sense of causing pain, as in the wasp stung him, or passivally, as in he was stung by the wasp.
Feeling hurt, wounded, or offended, especially by criticism or an insult.
"He was stung by her dismissive reply."
Usually used predicatively or attributively before words such as pride, honor, or prideful feelings.
A single encounter with a bee can leave a vivid linguistic impression: the past-tense form that survives is stung.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does stung come from?
The word belongs to the Old English verb stingan, meaning to prick or pierce and cause pain. Modern stung developed through the regular English past-tense and past-participle formation, while related forms such as sting, stinger, and stinging continue the same Germanic vocabulary. Words in several Germanic languages, including German stechen and Dutch steken, show parallel histories of expressing the idea of a sharp, painful prick.
Related word forms
How stung is actually used
As a verb form, stung is used with both active and passive constructions: the bee stung him, and he was stung by the bee. As an adjective, it is commonly predicative, as in proud and stung, and often carries a figurative sense of emotional hurt or offended pride.
Easily confused with stung
Stung is the past tense and past participle of the verb sting, whereas stinging is its present participle and also an adjective meaning sharply painful.
Stung refers to having experienced a painful or stinging sensation, while sank refers to moving downward or becoming lower.