torturous
adjective
tor·tur·ous
ˈtȯrch-rəs 
ˈtȯr-chə-
1
a
: 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
torturously
adverb
Synonyms
Examples of torturous in a Sentence
relatives had to make the torturous decision to disconnect the patient's life-support system
the post-infection treatment for rabies was as notoriously torturous as the disease itself
Recent Examples on the Web
Even people who love children and love being with children can find spending Saturday mornings at the ball pit or Gymboree with kids who are not related to them pretty torturous.
—
Amy Dickinson, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024
The torturous summer was widely attributed to an El Niño weather pattern.
—Rick Rojas Emily Kask, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024
Fear of a powerful woman Jan. 31, 2024 Keeping up with the news or cultural churn is tantamount to placing one’s self in a torturous James Bond escape scenario — sealed in a room where the walls are closing in slowly, or strapped to a table as a hot laser advances toward your groin.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2024
Although police have not released a motive for the murder, the chief said that Mahogany knew the seven suspects, who allegedly videotaped portions of her torturous last hours.
—Emily Palmer, Peoplemag, 29 Feb. 2024
The game had dribbled away and cricket has a way of extending the agony of the vanquished in torturous slow motion.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024
The bill’s passage followed almost five months of torturous negotiations over an expansive bill that would have paired the foreign aid with an overhaul of border and asylum policies.
—TIME, 13 Feb. 2024
No sense of some torturous inner dialogue pulling him from the foolishness of this game show.
—Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 12 Feb. 2024
Editorial: Applying for financial aid to college shouldn’t be this torturous.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2024
Amy Dickinson, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024
The torturous summer was widely attributed to an El Niño weather pattern.
—Rick Rojas Emily Kask, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024
Fear of a powerful woman Jan. 31, 2024 Keeping up with the news or cultural churn is tantamount to placing one’s self in a torturous James Bond escape scenario — sealed in a room where the walls are closing in slowly, or strapped to a table as a hot laser advances toward your groin.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2024
Although police have not released a motive for the murder, the chief said that Mahogany knew the seven suspects, who allegedly videotaped portions of her torturous last hours.
—Emily Palmer, Peoplemag, 29 Feb. 2024
The game had dribbled away and cricket has a way of extending the agony of the vanquished in torturous slow motion.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024
The bill’s passage followed almost five months of torturous negotiations over an expansive bill that would have paired the foreign aid with an overhaul of border and asylum policies.
—TIME, 13 Feb. 2024
No sense of some torturous inner dialogue pulling him from the foolishness of this game show.
—Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 12 Feb. 2024
Editorial: Applying for financial aid to college shouldn’t be this torturous.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'torturous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b
Time Traveler
The first known use of torturous was
in the 15th century
Dictionary Entries Near torturous
Cite this Entry
“Torturous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/torturous. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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