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 of harrowing

• painful
• harsh
• cruel
• 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

Others expressed surprise that the author of such harrowing novels seemed to radiate inner calm. — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 22 June 2026

O’Connor’s harrowing depictions of the effects of irresistible grace on the willfully self-damned aren’t everyone’s chalice of wine. — Spin Team, SPIN, 22 June 2026

Speaker after speaker paid tribute to the 96-year-old who survived the Holocaust through desperately harrowing yet extraordinary circumstances and became a prolific author and spiritual leader in the state for decades. — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 21 June 2026

Ukrainian entrepreneur Dima Negodiuk's life was upended by Russia's invasion, necessitating a harrowing journey for his son Mark's urgent brain tumor surgery. — Elaine Pofeldt, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of harrow entry 3

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for harrowing

• narrowing