as in winding
marked by a long series of irregular curves
a tortuous mountain road marked by numerous hairpin turns
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Recent Examples of tortuous
Across the United States, there are key animal species – indicator species, they are sometimes called – whose own stories exemplify the tortuous path of environmental protection.
—
Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 May 2026
The 2 World Trade Center building will round out the long, tortuous redevelopment of the original 16-acre trade center property.
—CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
Nerdy scholars, tortuous tenure tracks and college campus rivalry abounds.
—Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2026
Sharks with lower energy reserves, in contrast, exhibited more tortuous or localized movements, likely reflecting a strategy constrained by limited metabolic capacity.
—Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 19 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tortuous
Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 May 2026
The 2 World Trade Center building will round out the long, tortuous redevelopment of the original 16-acre trade center property.
—CBS News, 26 Feb. 2026
Nerdy scholars, tortuous tenure tracks and college campus rivalry abounds.
—Brianne Kane, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2026
Sharks with lower energy reserves, in contrast, exhibited more tortuous or localized movements, likely reflecting a strategy constrained by limited metabolic capacity.
—Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 19 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tortuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tortuous
Adjective
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From $561 per night. Perks: Saltwater pool and spa, king beds in all rooms, piano, fire pit At the top of a long and winding drive awaits Le Petite Retreat.—
Jessica Cherner,
Architectural Digest,
5 June 2026
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Said Rahmani often compared his life story to the plot of Paulo Coelho’s novel The Alchemist, in which a young shepherd sets off on a long and winding journey to find his treasure, only to learn that it was buried near his home all along.—
Bozorgmehr Sharafedin,
The Atlantic,
1 June 2026
Adjective
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The base of the legs is stitched with a tulip hem for a dressier look and a curved silhouette.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
20 June 2026
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This curved gaming monitor sports a 1000R curve that helps you get immersed in your gameplay by wrapping around your peripheral vision.—
George Yang,
PC Magazine,
19 June 2026
Adjective
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Since launching in 2022, Twisted Greek has become a favorite at Southwest Ohio food festivals for its twisted takes on traditional Greek cuisine.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
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Hathaway looked effortlessly chic in her white skirt and twisted cropped blouse with nods to her iconic Gap shirt dress by Zac Posen.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
19 June 2026
Adjective
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Soldiers Delight in Owings Mills has a bigger serpentine area, but with no nearby body of water to jump in, not a first choice for a hot summer day.—
Carl R. Gold,
Baltimore Sun,
18 June 2026
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Niobrara River Valentine, Nebraska If Nebraska doesn't conjure up images of serpentine Midwestern waterways, visit the Niobrara River midsummer and get back to us.—
Kelsey Yandura,
Midwest Living,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tortuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tortuous. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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