torturous
adjective
ˈtȯr-chə-\
Definition of torturous
1a : very unpleasant or painful a torturous day torturous self-doubts
b : causing torture torturous inquisitions
2 : painfully difficult or slow the torturous course of the negotiations
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Synonyms & Antonyms for torturous
Synonyms
afflicting, agonizing, bitter, cruel, excruciating, galling, grievous, harrowing, harsh, heartrending, hurtful, painful, tormenting
Antonyms
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Examples of torturous in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
On Monday, a day after the first four people were guided to freedom along a torturous underwater course, four more team members were rescued. — New York Times, "8 Saved, 5 to Go in Thai Cave Rescue," 9 July 2018 Listening to someone whistle throughout the day would be torturous for many. — Amy Dickinson, chicagotribune.com, "Alcoholic friend should abstain from camping," 15 June 2018 His path here was torturous but helped along by Halladay, who died in a November plane crash in Florida. — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, "A Rookie Treasures Lessons From Roy Halladay," 16 June 2018 This will be music to the ears of his supporters and torturous reading for those who oppose him, but since November 2016 Donald Trump is 1-0 in presidential elections and 2-0 in the United States landing global sports events. — Martin Rogers, USA TODAY, "Give Trump credit for USA getting the World Cup," 13 June 2018 One of the best ways to escape Houston's torturous heat is by staying indoors— and getting a little tipsy. — Fernando Ramirez, Houston Chronicle, "Where to find the best frozen drinks in Houston, according to Yelp," 10 May 2018 And, in a torturous moment of brutal honesty, Santos will be more than happy to be wrong about his prediction of a Brazil win. — Roy Bragg, San Antonio Express-News, "Find out who the 2018 World Cup winner will be — today!," 22 May 2018 Whitaker's trial began on Feb. 1 and brought into a clear and disturbing focus how the seventh-grader, whose mother said still played with baby dolls, spent the torturous final hours of her life. — Cory Shaffer, cleveland.com, "Alianna DeFreeze's killer, Christopher Whitaker, sentenced to death," 26 Mar. 2018 This one comes with a beginner’s songbook that could help turn a torturous drive into an impromptu blues set. — Sunset, "10 Car Games for Kids That Don’t Involve Screens," 22 Jan. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'torturous.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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From the Editors at Merriam-Webster
Should You "Flush Out" or "Flesh Out"...
Should You "Flush Out" or "Flesh Out" Your Plan?
Commonly Confused Words, Vol. 2
Statistics for torturous
Look-up Popularity
Time Traveler for torturous
The first known use of torturous was in the 15th century
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More Definitions for torturous
torturous
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of torturous
: causing great pain or suffering
See the full definition for torturous in the English Language Learners Dictionary
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