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
The recording of the call is harrowing and gut-wrenching as Denise Lee sobs and begs for her life.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
Creator and host Eric André took the late-night talk show, a TV genre with all-too-familiar conventions, and twisted it beyond recognition with harrowing celebrity interviews, person-on-the-street stunts, jump-scare pranks, and gratuitous nudity.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026
However, happily, most meaningful efforts, engagements, and pursuits involve profoundly more fulfilling and less harrowing change than moving.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
Cooper continued his reporting for six weeks, documenting harrowing stories of life and death.
—Will Croxton, CBS News, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for harrowing
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Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026
Creator and host Eric André took the late-night talk show, a TV genre with all-too-familiar conventions, and twisted it beyond recognition with harrowing celebrity interviews, person-on-the-street stunts, jump-scare pranks, and gratuitous nudity.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026
However, happily, most meaningful efforts, engagements, and pursuits involve profoundly more fulfilling and less harrowing change than moving.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
Cooper continued his reporting for six weeks, documenting harrowing stories of life and death.
—Will Croxton, CBS News, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for harrowing
Cite this Entry
“Harrowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/harrowing. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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