From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpained expression/look/voice etcpained expression/look/voice etcsomeone’s expression, voice etc that shows they are worried, upset, or slightly annoyed He sat stiffly, with a pained expression on his face. → pained
Examples from the Corpus
with a pained expression on his face• Larry, my stepfather, sits stiffly with a pained expression on his face. 