1
as in wrenching
intensely or unbearably painful
he finally visited the doctor when the pain became too excruciating to ignore
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2
as in searing
difficult to endure
the excruciating heat that the settlers faced as they crossed the deserts of the Southwest
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3
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
most excruciating of all was the endless wait for news of any survivors of the plane crash
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4
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
the excruciating grief they felt upon the loss of their dear grandfather
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as in plaguing
to cause persistent suffering to
she has long been excruciated by an undiagnosed pain in her knee
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of excruciating
Larry Seward, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
There’s a common misconception that auteur filmmakers like Anderson have every detail of their films planned out ahead of time in excruciating detail.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 21 Jan. 2026
The first round of the International Tennis Federation’s W35 tournament, played on a clay court in Nairobi, Kenya, wouldn’t normally make much of a splash in the tennis world, but millions of people have now seen what transpired over 37 excruciating minutes in the capital.
—Don Riddell, CNN Money, 8 Jan. 2026
Along the way, his Colts had playoff appearances almost every year and an excruciating loss in an AFC Championship Game.
—Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for excruciating
Adjective
For his family, the wait for justice has been excruciating.
—Larry Seward, CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026
There’s a common misconception that auteur filmmakers like Anderson have every detail of their films planned out ahead of time in excruciating detail.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 21 Jan. 2026
The first round of the International Tennis Federation’s W35 tournament, played on a clay court in Nairobi, Kenya, wouldn’t normally make much of a splash in the tennis world, but millions of people have now seen what transpired over 37 excruciating minutes in the capital.
—Don Riddell, CNN Money, 8 Jan. 2026
Along the way, his Colts had playoff appearances almost every year and an excruciating loss in an AFC Championship Game.
—Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for excruciating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excruciating
Adjective
-
Vietnam was inextricably linked to a wrenching era in American history, as Blacks were being compelled to fight a war on two fronts—for equality at home and a nation’s hubris abroad.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Feb. 2026
-
What's going on is absolutely heart-wrenching.—
Kiki Intarasuwan,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Saturated in the heatwave colors of Australia’s scorching Red Center, with its searing blue skies and bright orange sands, Wolfram makes the grim, lawless backwater of Wake in Fright seem positively cosmopolitan by comparison.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Caramelizing lemon — by grilling, searing or sauteéing — is done in many Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines.—
Carolynn Carreño,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Four years later, at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, Gabrielle Daleman could only bury her face in her hands after the Canadian’s disappointing free skate, her painful reaction beamed to a global audience.—
Dave Skretta,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
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As painful as this pain deep in the heart is, the healing has already begun with all the outpouring of love, prayers, and support.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The employee, a mother of two teen girls, warned about the filters and said the pressure on teen girls is intense.—
Clare Duffy,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
-
During periods of intense rainfall, the risk of flooding increases, particularly in low-lying and flood-prone areas.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Even cursory nods to the pandemic as the root cause of neighbors turning against neighbors aren’t explored so much as they’re acknowledged, as if viewers are somehow unaware of the polarization plaguing America.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The House passed a bipartisan housing bill that would enact new policies to boost housing supply and ease the affordability crisis plaguing the nation.—
Zach Halaschak,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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These individually wrapped peanut butter and oat bites are a suitable lunch box treat, or fuel for people who take long bike rides and other torturous endurance sports.—
Alex Beggs,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
7 Feb. 2026
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The many comparisons the researchers tested show a torturous pathway to a significant finding.—
Eleanor M. Perfetto,
STAT,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Takaichi has proposed tougher policies on immigration and foreigners, something that resonates with a growing frustration in Japan.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Bryant was tough to stop and scored nine of her 23 points in the first quarter.—
Justin Vigil Zuniga,
Daily News,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Prosecutors say the defendant failed to take into account his girlfriend’s inexperience in mountain climbing as well as the harsh winter conditions.—
Sophie Tanno,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
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Bathroom Fixtures There are no harsh or abrasive chemicals involved in steam cleaning bathroom fixtures.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Excruciating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excruciating. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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