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
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
In order to find her character, the actor drew from a harrowing chapter of her own life.
—Senior Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
More rapt, more heartbroken, more rattled by the harrowing questions presented by the long, slow, terribly seductive suicide humanity seems bent on carrying out via technology.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2025
But nothing could have prepared them for the harrowing journey that followed.
—Lucy Feldman, Time, 9 Dec. 2025
Leather Jewelry Travel Case Losing a piece of jewelry while traveling can be a harrowing experience (just take it from me).
—Michelle Baricevic, Travel + Leisure, 7 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for harrowing
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Senior Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
More rapt, more heartbroken, more rattled by the harrowing questions presented by the long, slow, terribly seductive suicide humanity seems bent on carrying out via technology.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2025
But nothing could have prepared them for the harrowing journey that followed.
—Lucy Feldman, Time, 9 Dec. 2025
Leather Jewelry Travel Case Losing a piece of jewelry while traveling can be a harrowing experience (just take it from me).
—Michelle Baricevic, Travel + Leisure, 7 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for harrowing
Cite this Entry
“Harrowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/harrowing. Accessed 12 Dec. 2025.
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