as in winding
marked by a long series of irregular curves
a tortuous mountain road marked by numerous hairpin turns
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Recent Examples of tortuous
In phantom endovascular models, the robot successfully navigated through tortuous vessel-like structures, demonstrating the technique’s potential for minimally invasive vascular interventions.
—
Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 1 Jan. 2026
For his role in the movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas, which came out in 2000, Jim Carrey’s tortuous costume and makeup had him on the verge of walking away from a $20 million paycheck.
—Nino Paoli, Fortune, 15 Dec. 2025
Another machinery noise reducer involves cutting out the gurgling of flowing liquids by using special pipes that send the fluids on a tortuous path that minimizes turbulence.
—New Atlas, 7 Dec. 2025
In retrospect, 1943, which saw the publication of three remarkable books by three remarkable women, is sometimes seen as the beginning of a long and tortuous comeback for the ideas of liberty.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 23 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tortuous
Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 1 Jan. 2026
For his role in the movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas, which came out in 2000, Jim Carrey’s tortuous costume and makeup had him on the verge of walking away from a $20 million paycheck.
—Nino Paoli, Fortune, 15 Dec. 2025
Another machinery noise reducer involves cutting out the gurgling of flowing liquids by using special pipes that send the fluids on a tortuous path that minimizes turbulence.
—New Atlas, 7 Dec. 2025
In retrospect, 1943, which saw the publication of three remarkable books by three remarkable women, is sometimes seen as the beginning of a long and tortuous comeback for the ideas of liberty.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 23 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tortuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tortuous
Adjective
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Chapin said Tokyo’s narrow and winding streets, often crowded with right-handed cars driving on the left side of the road, will present a fresh test for its AI technology, but that Nuro’s systems are designed to adapt and respond in real time.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
12 Mar. 2026
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Hosch, 67, went for a hike on part of the Appalachian Trail, a winding path that extends almost 2,200 miles through 14 states.—
Elissa Jorgensen,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Kuma pulled the curved awning in the hotel’s inner courtyard, for example, from the eye-catching karahafu gable roof on the front of the theater.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Mar. 2026
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Pardington spat out the coin and looked at the bird, the male with its long, curved beak and pronounced wattle.—
Tom Page,
CNN Money,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In the original script, Laura, despite becoming aware of the twisted role into which she’s been cast, decides to stay with Betty’s family.—
Holden Seidlitz,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
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Such is the case of David Lowery’s latest curiosity, a stylish thriller about a twisted affair between a pop star (Anne Hathaway) and her fashion designer (Michaela Cole).—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The shirt's three-quarter sleeves were perfect for showcasing her stacks of Bulgari serpentine cuffs.—
Kevin Huynh,
InStyle,
15 Mar. 2026
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Universal ran one of the Hollywood Drift trains twice along the serpentine hillside track without riders during the media preview.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tortuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tortuous. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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