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
John Ortved, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2025
The process can be excruciating for some, causing dizziness and even fainting.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
Exposure to light was excruciating.
—Holly Burns, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
For humans, crystalline buildups in the body manifest as excruciating shards in joints—a condition known as gout—or as kidney stones in the urinary tract.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for excruciating
Adjective
Ah, love triangles—is there anything more deliciously excruciating to watch onscreen?
—John Ortved, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2025
The process can be excruciating for some, causing dizziness and even fainting.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
Exposure to light was excruciating.
—Holly Burns, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
For humans, crystalline buildups in the body manifest as excruciating shards in joints—a condition known as gout—or as kidney stones in the urinary tract.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for excruciating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excruciating
Adjective
-
Perhaps the most wrenching scene is one in which Anders, seated alone in a busy café, tunes in to ordinary conversations around him.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The searing drama follows the titular socialite (Tessa Thompson) over the course of one opulent, suffocating party.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Emergency responders worked around the clock to locate survivors, enduring searing heat and toxic fumes.—
Josh Green,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Ember Leonara, 36, tells Rolling Stone that coming out as transgender this year led to painful rifts in her life.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
11 Nov. 2025
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But the track record is mixed—SoftBank’s backing of WeWork ended in a high-profile collapse, and the premature exit from Nvidia has become a painful reminder of opportunities lost.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Gas and dust fall into a rotating disk around the black hole, and as the debris spirals more rapidly, it becomes superheated, releasing intense radiation.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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True Ipomea batatas has bright orange flesh (although modern varieties have much more intense colors than older forms), occasionally white and rarely purple.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Both cases are apt to serve as models for how to prevent the kind of school shootings still plaguing the nation and could set legal precedent for who shoulders the blame when children have access to guns and open fire on campus.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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The Live With Kelly and Mark talk show hostess seemingly hasn't known peace on the scariest day of the year for quite some time, but not because of ghosts and ghoulies plaguing her — but, rather, ungrateful neighbors who consistently complain about her Halloween candy.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The earnings report is the first by the company following the August close of the merger of Paramount and Skydance after a long and torturous regulatory process.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Waiting for news was torturous.—
Grace White,
Essence,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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This loss had to be especially tough for the Jayhawks, considering a controversial holding call on KU changed the momentum of the game.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
9 Nov. 2025
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However, their record at the Etihad makes for tough reading.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
There's a lot of harsh words and harsh things that get said about people.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
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Applying it at the base of the plant before the first frost can protect the roots from harsh cold and keep the soil from freezing.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Excruciating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excruciating. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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