Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - painfully

~ adv 1 with pain or causing pain  (The prince walked slowly and painfully. | The ball hit him painfully on the shin.) 2 painfully obvious/clear/evident easy to see and disappointing or embarrassing  (It was becoming painfully obvious that I would never be a singer.) 3 with a lot of effort and trouble  (all the knowledge that he had so painfully acquired | painfully slow)  (Progress in the negotiations has been painfully slow.) 4 in a way that makes you sad or upset  (the painfully early death of someone who was very close to her)