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

Dozens of harrowing twists later, Daniel was turned into a vampire by Louis’ terrifyingly powerful, 500-year-old lover, Armand (Assad Zaman), and published Louis’ confessions to the ridicule of the human media and the outrage of the understandably press-shy immortal community. —Judy Berman, Time, 2 June 2026

So if the screams of armed men are your jam, here’s a list of the most harrowing battles in war movie history. —Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 29 May 2026

Based on a true story, the new miniseries The Witness looks absolutely harrowing. —K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 29 May 2026

Her mother, Nancy, told local outlet ABC 10 Newsthat her daughter spent 100 days in the NICU, recalling the harrowing moments when the doctors and nurses worked to keep her alive. —Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of harrow entry 3

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for harrowing

• narrowing