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
Werfel concocted a more tortuous explanation for his wife’s grotesque behavior.
—
Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
The obvious parallel in the Chinese case is Mao Zedong, who oversaw a tortuous hollowing out of China’s nascent political and administrative institutions.
—Jude Blanchette, Foreign Affairs, 16 Mar. 2022
Homer’s poem tells of the Greek hero King Odysseus and his tortuous, 10-year journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Feb. 2025
Advertisement The deal follows months of tortuous negotiations led by Qatar, Egypt and the United States, with the Qataris regularly expressing frustration and threatening to walk away at one point.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tortuous
Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
The obvious parallel in the Chinese case is Mao Zedong, who oversaw a tortuous hollowing out of China’s nascent political and administrative institutions.
—Jude Blanchette, Foreign Affairs, 16 Mar. 2022
Homer’s poem tells of the Greek hero King Odysseus and his tortuous, 10-year journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Feb. 2025
Advertisement The deal follows months of tortuous negotiations led by Qatar, Egypt and the United States, with the Qataris regularly expressing frustration and threatening to walk away at one point.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tortuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tortuous
Adjective
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After the afternoon prayers, the thunderstorm fading into the distance, a group of girls takes a winding cobblestone path through a thin area of woods and approaches a greenhouse.—
Lindsey McGinnis,
Christian Science Monitor,
1 May 2025
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Black Sands’ 12 teak bungalows are just steps from the beach, connected by a winding wooden boardwalk.—
Jen Murphy,
Robb Report,
19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Long-time nemesis Brad Marchand scored the winner for the Panthers on a twisted wrister that banked off Rielly before zipping past goalie Joseph Woll.—
Steve Silverman,
Forbes.com,
12 May 2025
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The lustful reggaeton-bachata song about a twisted love affair would shock fans upon its release in the spring of 2005.—
Andrea Flores,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2025
Adjective
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Some leaf-mining insects make distinct patterns, like squiggles or serpentine shapes, while others make irregular blotches, like this species.—
Miri Talabac,
Baltimore Sun,
8 May 2025
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Nichols Canyon is navigated by a serpentine road that climbs into the mountains above Hollywood and is home to some pretty spectacular dwellings.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
6 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tortuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tortuous. Accessed 17 May. 2025.
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