1
as in wrenching
intensely or unbearably painful
he finally visited the doctor when the pain became too excruciating to ignore
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in searing
difficult to endure
the excruciating heat that the settlers faced as they crossed the deserts of the Southwest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
the excruciating grief they felt upon the loss of their dear grandfather
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in plaguing
to cause persistent suffering to
she has long been excruciated by an undiagnosed pain in her knee
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of excruciating
Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
This is a precise and beautiful portrait of the moments, both excruciating and wonderful, that give life its meaning.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
Another reason, though, is that on this side of death an experience of God’s presence is terrible, in the biblical sense, and followed by an excruciating sense of absence.
—Christian Wiman, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
With each warning comes a small heartbreak and each mile an excruciating decision.
—Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for excruciating
Adjective
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
This is a precise and beautiful portrait of the moments, both excruciating and wonderful, that give life its meaning.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
Another reason, though, is that on this side of death an experience of God’s presence is terrible, in the biblical sense, and followed by an excruciating sense of absence.
—Christian Wiman, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
With each warning comes a small heartbreak and each mile an excruciating decision.
—Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for excruciating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excruciating
Adjective
-
The sentencing hearing included emotional and wrenching statements from Ferguson's family, who described a life permanently altered by the loss of their son and relative.—
Sergio Candido,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Warfare Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza’s Warfare is an admirable attempt to counter the truism that there’s no such thing as an anti-war movie — that all war movies, however gruesome or wrenching, effectively (and often unwittingly) wind up glamorizing combat to some degree.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
1 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Nowhere perhaps was the searing heat more evident than at Melbourne Park, where the usual crowds thronging outside the Australian Open tennis tournament dwindled to a ghost town as temperatures soared.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Some might call it a searing eyesore.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
25 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Proper skin preparation is key to making your wax sessions less painful.—
Tatayana Yomary,
Essence,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The high fevers, hospitalizations, and dehydration that these illnesses cause can be painful and disruptive—and, with vaccines, avoidable.—
Tom Bartlett,
The Atlantic,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
This period of intense study laid the groundwork for what would later become known as the Korean New Wave.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Shares fell during his time in government but rebounded sharply in December, reaching a record high amid intense market interest in AI.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Kid Rock gave an impassioned testimony before the Senate Commerce Committee earlier today, addressing the ongoing issues plaguing the ticketing industry and the unfair practices employed at the expense of both artists and fans.—
Steven J. Horowitz,
Variety,
28 Jan. 2026
-
China, a massive figure in the luxury industry, seems to be on the luxury rebound; weakened demand in the country had previously been a driver for the slowdown plaguing the high-end realm over the last few years.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
September 22 Lucas Museum opens After a long, semi-torturous process, George Lucas’s grand vision for a public museum containing an impressive collection of paintings, drawings, and film memorabilia will finally come to fruition.—
Hillary Busis,
Vanity Fair,
22 Dec. 2025
-
During this increasingly torturous adjustment period, Millie learns Nina spent some time in a psychiatric facility years earlier after allegedly leaving Cece to drown in a bathtub and taking enough pills to kill herself.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
19 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Going through a severe injury is probably the toughest thing an athlete can go through.—
DJ Siddiqi,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
More companies are dialing back flexible work schedules and mandating that employees return to the office part-time or full-time, forcing women into tough situations.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Before Getting Started When cleaning your oven, try to avoid using harsh oven cleaners or using the self-cleaning feature.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The origin of clemency is understood through the Federalist Papers as a need for mercy in instances when the criminal justice system was too harsh.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Excruciating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excruciating. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
