excruciating

1 of 2

adjective

ex·​cru·​ci·​at·​ing ik-ˈskrü-shē-ˌā-tiŋ 

1

: causing great pain or anguish : agonizing

… the nation's most excruciating dilemma …

—W. H. Ferry

2

: very intense : extreme

excruciating pain

excruciatingly

ik-ˈskrü-shē-ˌā-tiŋ-lē 

adverb

excruciating

2 of 2

present participle of excruciate

Synonyms of excruciating

Adjective

• wrenching
• torturous
• agonizing
• intense
• torturing

Examples of excruciating in a Sentence

Adjective

I have an excruciating headache.

an excruciating moment of embarrassment

They described their vacation in excruciating detail.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The emotionally wrenching case, marked by excruciating testimony and Clancy’s paralysis after a suicide attempt, has intensified scrutiny of maternal mental health and Massachusetts’ standard for criminal responsibility. — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026

The team appreciated their captain showing up, despite dealing with the excruciating pain of a herniated disc in her spine. — Caoimhe O'Neill, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

At a gathering with other artists, a seemingly playful party game culminates in an excruciating monologue about child abuse. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026

After an excruciating loss the night before, the Giants tasted a different flavor of agony in Friday night’s 10-6 loss to the New York Mets at Citi Field. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for excruciating

• abdicating
• abrogating
• activating
• actuating
• advocating
• aggravating
• aggregating
• agitating
• allocating
• alternating
• animating
• annotating

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

Adjective

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