harrowing

adjective

har·​row·​ing ˈher-ə-wiŋ 

ˈha-rə-

: acutely distressing or painful

a harrowing experience

Mr. Wu's work in a coal mine was particularly harrowing.

—Charles Horner

harrowingly adverb

Synonyms

• afflicting
• agonizing
• bitter
• cruel
• excruciating
• galling
• grievous
• harsh
• heartrending
• hurtful
• painful
• tormenting
• torturous

Examples of harrowing in a Sentence

a harrowing portrayal of the ravages of war

the harrowing amputations without any anesthetic that soldiers and sailors once were forced to endure

Recent Examples on the Web

Unions representing sheriff’s deputies, firefighters and lifeguards made a public pitch Thursday for more support in increasingly testy contract negotiations, releasing a half-hour documentary that highlighted their members’ harrowing tales from the first days of the fires. —Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2025

One, Maddie didn’t know it then, but that harrowing incident prepared her to survive Joe’s cage. —Sara Netzley, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025

On Monday, April 21, the sisters recalled — in unison — the harrowing experience of the carjacking while being interviewed on 7News Queensland. —Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 23 Apr. 2025

Working under such harrowing conditions takes a psychological toll. —Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of harrow entry 3

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for harrowing

• narrowing