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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Via Harvest Books, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2025
Due to the nature of the explosion, recovery efforts have proven to be excruciating for victims’ families and investigators working to clear the area, potentially detonating and recovering any other explosives in the vicinity and using DNA to identify remains, officials have said.
—Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2025
On the other sideline, the Bears imploded after the loss, dropping their next nine games, some in equally excruciating fashion.
—David Aldridge, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
In 2018, a grueling schedule and poor habits were piling up, leading to excruciating pain in his back.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for excruciating
Adjective
The heaviness, the burning, the pain in my abdomen (which feels eerily similar but far more intense than a UTI at the same time) is excruciating.
—Via Harvest Books, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2025
Due to the nature of the explosion, recovery efforts have proven to be excruciating for victims’ families and investigators working to clear the area, potentially detonating and recovering any other explosives in the vicinity and using DNA to identify remains, officials have said.
—Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2025
On the other sideline, the Bears imploded after the loss, dropping their next nine games, some in equally excruciating fashion.
—David Aldridge, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
In 2018, a grueling schedule and poor habits were piling up, leading to excruciating pain in his back.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for excruciating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excruciating
Adjective
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Its lighter, more delicate texture is best suited to baking, poaching, or searing.—
Rachael Zimlich,
Verywell Health,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Racking up enthusiastic reviews, Dave’s Hot Chicken has made a searing entry into the Boise market.—
Michael Deeds,
Idaho Statesman,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The murder scene was so gruesome and painful to process that the community simply burnt the house down.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Fumbling with the plastic nubs can be painful and frustrating.—
Zoe Gates,
Outside,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The intense taste and smell can make this tonic hard to stomach.—
Kathleen Ferraro,
Verywell Health,
24 Oct. 2025
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Part of what spurred intense interest, according to sources, was the success of Weapons, Zach Cregger’s summer horror hit.—
Borys Kit,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Jordan Shamir, co-founder and CEO of Yofi AI, said fraud and theft continue to be major issues plaguing brands and retailers of all sizes.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Politicians on both sides of the aisle widely condemned the attack, one of several high-profile acts of political violence plaguing the United States in recent years.—
Matt Lavietes,
NBC news,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Hiking through the deep snow drifts above 26,000 feet is torturous and time consuming.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside,
8 Oct. 2025
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Bertino’s chamber piece unfolds over one torturous night and will be exclusive to Paramount’s streaming platform following its world premiere at Fantastic Fest in September.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Whether or not Takaichi's administration is as tough on immigration issues as her campaign rhetoric suggests, some observers warn that failing to actively invest in and integrate foreign nationals into society will have lasting harm on Asia’s second-largest economy.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
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Without a consolidation of that vote in the final stretch, Mamdani appears tough to beat.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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According to the woman, her parents’ reasoning for denying her requests was rooted in a harsh lesson about independence.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
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Instead of buying special cleaners or reaching for harsh chemicals to clean around your home, look to your medicine cabinet for a solution.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Gómez took the 5-day trip to Mexico City as a brief respite before starting intensive training to care for Noah at his home in New York City.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
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And the side hustle is time-intensive.—
Megan Sauer,
CNBC,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Excruciating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excruciating. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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