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
Season 3 was at once a humbling and harrowing journey for Mark.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
As the trial continued, the courtroom listened in silence to the harrowing details of Quatisha's final hours and the emotional devastation left behind.
—Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
Osi Umenyiora, a former New York Giants star and two-time Super Bowl champion, revealed a harrowing health battle that left him in a coma for several days.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Here, a routine school commute takes a harrowing turn when a cable car wire snaps, with eight passengers, including six schoolboys, left suspended 900 feet above the ravine.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for harrowing
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Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
As the trial continued, the courtroom listened in silence to the harrowing details of Quatisha's final hours and the emotional devastation left behind.
—Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026
Osi Umenyiora, a former New York Giants star and two-time Super Bowl champion, revealed a harrowing health battle that left him in a coma for several days.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Here, a routine school commute takes a harrowing turn when a cable car wire snaps, with eight passengers, including six schoolboys, left suspended 900 feet above the ravine.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 21 Jan. 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 22 Jan. 2026.
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