excruciating

adjective

ex·​cru·​ci·​at·​ing ik-ˈskrü-shē-ˌā-tiŋ How to pronounce excruciating (audio)
1
: causing great pain or anguish : agonizing
the nation's most excruciating dilemmaW. H. Ferry
2
: very intense : extreme
excruciating pain
excruciatingly adverb

Examples of excruciating in a Sentence

I have an excruciating headache. an excruciating moment of embarrassment They described their vacation in excruciating detail.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
After two years…of chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation therapy, of surgery, excruciating pain, the incredible amount of prescription drugs, and all the fervent prayers, my incredible, loving wife succumbed to the aggressive HER2 Triple-Negative breast cancer. Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2025 Adolescence examines, in almost excruciating detail, a parent’s worst nightmare. Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025 After an excruciating wait, the parole board came back with a decision. Erin Moriarty, Liza Finley, CBS News, 4 May 2025 In his memoir My Next Breath, released April 29, the Oscar nominee detailed the January 2023 experience in excruciating detail. Jack Smart, People.com, 1 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for excruciating

Word History

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of excruciating was in 1599

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Cite this Entry

“Excruciating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/excruciating. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

excruciating

adjective
ex·​cru·​ci·​at·​ing
ik-ˈskrü-shē-ˌāt-iŋ
1
: causing great mental or physical pain : agonizing
excruciating torture
an excruciating decision to leave
2
: very severe
excruciating pain
excruciatingly
-iŋ-lē
adverb
Etymology

derived from Latin excruciatus, past participle of excruciare "to torture," from ex- "out of, from" and cruciare "to torment, crucify," from cruc-, crux "cross" — related to cross, crucial, crucify

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