maccreadysbaby:

Some of my favorite words and phrases to describe a character in pain

• coiling (up in a ball, in on themselves, against something, etc)
• panting (there’s a slew of adjectives you can put after this, my favorites are shakily, weakly, etc)
• keeling over (synonyms are words like collapsing, which is equally as good but overused in media)
• trembling/shivering (additional adjectives could be violently, uncontrollably, etc)
• sobbing (weeping is a synonym but i’ve never liked that word. also love using sob by itself, as a noun, like “he let out a quiet sob”)
• whimpering (love hitting the wips with this word when a character is weak, especially when the pain is subsiding. also love using it for nightmares/attacks and things like that)
• clinging (to someone or something, maybe even to themselves or their own clothes)
• writhing/thrashing (maybe someone’s holding them down, or maybe they’re in bed alone)
• crying (not actual tears. cry as in a shrill, sudden shout)
• dazed (usually after the pain has subsided, or when adrenaline is still flowing)
• wincing (probably overused but i love this word. synonym could be grimacing)
• doubling-over (kinda close to keeling over but they don’t actually hit the ground, just kinda fold in on themselves)
• heaving (i like to use it for describing the way someone’s breathing, ex. “heaving breaths” but can also be used for the nasty stuff like dry heaving or vomiting)
• gasping/sucking/drawing in a breath (or any other words and phrases that mean a sharp intake of breath, that shite is gold)
• murmuring/muttering/whispering (or other quiet forms of speaking after enduring intense pain)
• hiccuping/spluttering/sniffling (words that generally imply crying without saying crying. the word crying is used so much it kinda loses its appeal, that’s why i like to mix other words like these in)
• stuttering (or other general terms that show an impaired ability to speak — when someone’s in intense pain, it gets hard to talk)
• staggering/stumbling (there is a difference between pain that makes you not want to stand, and pain that makes it impossible to stand. explore that!)
• recoiling/shrinking away (from either the threat or someone trying to help)
• pleading/begging (again, to the threat, someone trying to help, or just begging the pain to stop)

Feel free to add your favorites or most used in the comments/reblogs!