harrowing 1 of 2

adjective

ˈher-ə-wiŋ How to pronounce harrowing (audio)
Definition of harrowingnext
1
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally a harrowing portrayal of the ravages of war

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wrenching
intensely or unbearably painful the harrowing amputations without any anesthetic that soldiers and sailors once were forced to endure

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harrowing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of harrow
as in plaguing
to cause persistent suffering to the villagers were gaunt and sickly, harrowed by years of disease and starvation

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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 harrowing
Adjective
The result is mesmerizing and harrowing, as the effects of the country’s ongoing opioid crisis don’t have to be dramatized so much as seen. — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 1 July 2026 His lament mirrored the anguish of legions of Venezuelans who endured harrowing days clearing rubble by hand before crews with heavy equipment and rescue dogs belatedly arrived. — Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026 Dreams dashed Watching Lizzo’s re-emergence has been harrowing for the three plaintiffs. — Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 29 June 2026 In this harrowing novel, two families pass long, uncertain hours in the waiting rooms of a Manhattan hospital. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for harrowing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harrowing
  1. painful
  2. wrenching
  3. plaguing
  4. harsh
  5. torturous
  6. afflicting
  7. cruel
  8. agonizing
Adjective
  • Biomimicked medical glue, inspired by the slime of a common garden slug (Arion subfuscus), can bond to bloody tissue and holds great promise for surgical applications and the treatment of painful lesions.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 July 2026
  • For the past two decades, since I’d endured a painful divorce, the New York Times daily puzzle has been my source of comfort.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
Definition of painful
Adjective
  • His most wrenching scene, when Stagg receives a devastating personal call but cannot react amid the intense geopolitical stakes, captured this tension.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 26 May 2026
  • Another wrenching question, of course, is whether at least the younger Perez siblings would want or need to go with Olga to Guatemala if she were deported.
    — Tim Padgett, Sun Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026
Definition of wrenching
Verb
  • This comes at a time when existential fiscal anxiety has been plaguing Americans.
    — Sean Conlon, CNBC, 3 July 2026
  • The other factor that Mercedes needs to consider is that reliability issue that’s plaguing itself and its customer teams.
    — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 27 June 2026
Definition of plaguing
Adjective
  • Wear rubber gloves because the cleaning ingredients are harsh, and scrub the inside of the oven door.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 11 July 2026
  • Pioneer Girl was considered too harsh about the realities of frontier life.
    — Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 11 July 2026
Definition of harsh
Adjective
  • In theaters July 17, The Odyssey tells the story of Greek hero Odysseus’ long, torturous and fantastical trip home from the Trojan War, back to the Kingdom of Ithaca to save his wife and son.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 6 July 2026
  • As part of her job, Angèle needs to daub makeup on the models’ feet, blistered from the torturous heels they’re forced to wear.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 26 June 2026
Definition of torturous
Verb
  • Cholera, a waterborne bacterial disease, has unleashed a perilous wave across southern Africa, with active outbreaks currently afflicting five countries in southern and central Africa.
    — John Drake, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
  • Never mind the economic turbulence afflicting the country and the world, driven most recently by rising gas prices because of the war in Iran.
    — Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 May 2026
Definition of afflicting
Adjective
  • The heat has become so unbearable in Japan that weather officials in April announced a new term for days when maximum temperatures exceed 104 degrees — kokushobi, meaning harsh or cruel heat, according to the Japan Times.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • For thousands of Venezuelans, however, the lack of definitive answers has become one of the tragedy’s cruelest consequences.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
Definition of cruel
Adjective
  • The agonizing legal circus surrounding Sumner Redstone’s final years at Paramount/Viacom is a sobering cautionary tale.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 6 July 2026
  • After several agonizing days, the city fell, and the Dutch UN peacekeeping forces helped separate the women from the men and boys.
    — Janine di Giovanni, Vanity Fair, 3 July 2026
Definition of agonizing

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Cite this Entry

“Harrowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harrowing. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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