1
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
a harrowing portrayal of the ravages of war
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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Recent Examples of harrowing
Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Jan. 2026
Holocaust survivor Erna Gorman endured a harrowing and horrifying journey to escape death at the hands of the Nazis.
—Edie Kasten, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
The ensuing attack is staged with harrowing, heart-in-mouth immediacy, shot by Jun with propulsive, handheld looseness and mud on the lens.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
Not only that, but the population was booming, the extreme opulence of the upper class contrasted sharply against the harrowing poverty found in the slums, the Romantic movement was flourishing, and the middle class was emerging.
—Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for harrowing
Adjective
The film is a harrowing look at the banality of evil in its most dangerous form.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Jan. 2026
Holocaust survivor Erna Gorman endured a harrowing and horrifying journey to escape death at the hands of the Nazis.
—Edie Kasten, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
The ensuing attack is staged with harrowing, heart-in-mouth immediacy, shot by Jun with propulsive, handheld looseness and mud on the lens.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
Not only that, but the population was booming, the extreme opulence of the upper class contrasted sharply against the harrowing poverty found in the slums, the Romantic movement was flourishing, and the middle class was emerging.
—Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for harrowing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harrowing
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
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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
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
-
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
Adjective
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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
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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
Verb
-
Osula is out with a foot injury which has been afflicting him for most of the season.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
13 Jan. 2026
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Other geopolitical threats afflicting OPEC+ nations continue to simmer.—
Grant Smith,
Fortune,
4 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The Moon is at odds with three planets, which can trigger arguments, snide remarks and even cruel retorts.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
25 Jan. 2026
-
An old 4chan meme designed as a cruel caricature has somehow become the face of clueless commentators asking for context.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
His family spent an agonizing week searching through morgues, hospitals and detention facilities before finally identifying his body among piles of corpses, also shown in the viral footage.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Her family would later make the agonizing decision to take her off life support.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harrowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harrowing. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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