harrowing

adjective

har·​row·​ing ˈher-ə-wiŋ How to pronounce harrowing (audio)
ˈha-rə-
: acutely distressing or painful
a harrowing experience
Mr. Wu's work in a coal mine was particularly harrowing.Charles Horner
harrowingly adverb

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
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.
Beginning in 2020, Amy Grant has endured a harrowing list of health issues, including open-heart surgery, a brain injury, throat surgery and shoulder surgery. Nancy Kruh, People.com, 27 Nov. 2024 In one scene, where Husk is angrily yelling at a younger subordinate following a harrowing, violent encounter with Matthews’ gang, Law impulsively punched the windshield from inside a car, cracking it. Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2024 Reuters recently published a harrowing investigation about trafficking on the site. Prarthana Prakash, Fortune, 26 Nov. 2024 From his very first year of life, Mir Shamsi has made a habit of overcoming harrowing circumstances. Bayliss Wagner, Austin American-Statesman, 24 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for harrowing 

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of harrow entry 3

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of harrowing was in 1799

Dictionary Entries Near harrowing

Cite this Entry

“Harrowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/harrowing. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

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