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
Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
Finally, the jury watched harrowing surveillance video showing Colt Gray’s movements the morning of the school shooting on September 4, 2024.
—Maxime Tamsett, CNN Money, 3 Mar. 2026
Told in a first-person, free verse style, her struggle to overcome a family tragedy, an ecological catastrophe, and the Great Depression is harrowing yet hopeful.
—Libby Monteith Minor, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
Some of the most harrowing images were shared by correspondents on social media, including Fox News’ Lucas Tomlinson, who posted on an explosion in Bahrain.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for harrowing
Adjective
Kristi Noem’s autobiography includes the harrowing story of her decision to put down her dog, Cricket.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
Finally, the jury watched harrowing surveillance video showing Colt Gray’s movements the morning of the school shooting on September 4, 2024.
—Maxime Tamsett, CNN Money, 3 Mar. 2026
Told in a first-person, free verse style, her struggle to overcome a family tragedy, an ecological catastrophe, and the Great Depression is harrowing yet hopeful.
—Libby Monteith Minor, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
Some of the most harrowing images were shared by correspondents on social media, including Fox News’ Lucas Tomlinson, who posted on an explosion in Bahrain.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for harrowing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harrowing
Adjective
-
Sermon, his mentor, was in the midst of a painful split-up with his creative partner, PMD.—
Jayson Greene,
Pitchfork,
8 Mar. 2026
-
And, if that wasn't painful enough, your retirement savings takes a hit because the loan isn't getting paid back.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
These four novels create a convincing, wrenching, kaleidoscopic picture of the range and repetitions of the most fatal kind of love; the sort of love that allows nothing else to grow around it, that eradicates all dignity; a love which, in order to be completed, must be told.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Feb. 2026
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What's going on is absolutely heart-wrenching.—
Kiki Intarasuwan,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The low-pitch frustration and helplessness plaguing Ann give Constance Zimmer good material to work with.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Microsoft, down 15% this year, is the largest stock swept up in the broader sell-off plaguing the software sector.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Senegal 's parliament has approved a new bill that toughens punishment for homosexuality in the largely Muslim West African nation, the latest African country to impose harsh penalties against the LGBTQ+ community.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Audrey Sterk of Audrey Sterk Design teamed up with Chip Webster Architecture and Reid Builders to use durable composite countertops and weather-resistant cabinetry to ensure this outdoor kitchen will last, even in this harsh island environment.—
Megan Johnson,
Architectural Digest,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The break was long and torturous for fans but clearly restorative for Styles, who lolled in the Italian countryside with Alessandro Michele, bonded with a new niece, and found himself unassumingly among the masses in the Vatican when the conclave elected Pope Leo XIV last June.—
Michelle Ruiz,
Vogue,
6 Mar. 2026
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After a torturous 2025 season that featured one of the worst team pitching performances in major league history, the pitching think tank was overhauled.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The statement did not include what skin condition requiring a prescription is afflicting Trump, but causes could include eczema, an allergic reaction caused by food or medication, shingles and others.—
David Matthews,
New York Daily News,
3 Mar. 2026
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The lawsuit has exposed alleged financial woes — including past-due tax returns — afflicting Martinez’s numerous businesses.—
Patrick Danner,
San Antonio Express-News,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
That’s the cruel beauty of golf.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Few Iranians will mourn the demise of the cruel and murderous Ayatollah Khamenei or his cohorts, and a large segment of Iranians want the corrupt religious regime gone.—
Trudy Rubin,
Twin Cities,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Anyone who followed that series on a weekly basis knows how agonizing those cliffhangers could be.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Mar. 2026
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That's agonizing for families who have to split up while waiting for the heart and during the weeks and months after the transplant.—
Nicole Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Harrowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harrowing. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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