painfulness vs distress

painfulness and distress both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
painfulness	Yes	No	No	No
distress	Yes	No	Yes	No

As nouns, distress is a hyponym of painfulness; that is, distress is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than painfulness:

painfulness: emotional distress; a fundamental feeling that people try to avoid
distress: psychological suffering

Other hyponyms of painfulness include growing pains, unpleasantness, mental anguish, hurt, suffering, hurt, suffering.

painfulness (noun)	distress (noun)
the quality of being painful	the seizure and holding of property as security for payment of a debt or satisfaction of a claim
emotional distress; a fundamental feeling that people try to avoid	psychological suffering
	extreme physical pain
	a state of adversity (danger or affliction or need)

painfulness (verb)	distress (verb)
	cause mental pain to
	bring into difficulties or distress, especially financial hardship