1
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
relatives had to make the torturous decision to disconnect the patient's life-support system
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2
as in wrenching
intensely or unbearably painful
the post-infection treatment for rabies was as notoriously torturous as the disease itself
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Recent Examples of torturous
Within the film’s compact running time, writer-director Ben Hania traces the fraught and torturous hours of January 29, 2024, when Palestine Red Crescent volunteers in the West Bank tried to calm a terrified 6-year-old girl and get an ambulance to her in Gaza.
—
Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2025
But nitrogen executions are particularly torturous to not only the person sentenced to die, but also everyone who have to witness them, Hood said.
—Arkansas Online, 15 Aug. 2025
Season 1 ended January 12 with cartel boss Gallino (Garcia) sparing Tommy Norris (Thornton) from a torturous end.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2025
But maybe that’s even more torturous than her child named Bless who never even knew that country.
—A Dialogue, Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for torturous
Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2025
But nitrogen executions are particularly torturous to not only the person sentenced to die, but also everyone who have to witness them, Hood said.
—Arkansas Online, 15 Aug. 2025
Season 1 ended January 12 with cartel boss Gallino (Garcia) sparing Tommy Norris (Thornton) from a torturous end.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2025
But maybe that’s even more torturous than her child named Bless who never even knew that country.
—A Dialogue, Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for torturous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torturous
Adjective
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Mario Vuskovic’s suspension in 2022 was part of that struggle, another painful situation to overcome.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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In place of pesky underwire — which is uncomfortable at best, and downright painful at its worst — the bra uses a sturdy elastic band and adjustable straps to provide comfortable support.—
Clara McMahon,
PEOPLE,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Never use bleach to clean the toilet tank as this harsh chemical can damage the tank's interior and lead to faster corrosion.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
11 Oct. 2025
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Except, much like the prison scenes, Kiss of the Spider Woman‘s reality ends up being much harsher than the fantasy.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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That issue is also the cause of much agonizing in the Treasury.—
Ian King,
CNBC,
8 Oct. 2025
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These families are among those in Israel who have paid the most agonizing personal cost of two years of prolonged war.—
Daniel Estrin,
NPR,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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This culture is incredibly cruel, and things have gotten really obscene.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Oct. 2025
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Supporters of the new laws praised the legislation as a major step toward ending cruel breeding practices and protecting consumers.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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For four years in a row, the Phillies have entered the postseason with high hopes of a World Series and come up short in excruciating fashion.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
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That is because Deadline is checking out the follow-up to John Morton’s BAFTA-winning BBC satirical comedies Twenty Twelve and W1A, shows that have landed cult status for their excruciating ode to Britishness and in-depth examination of the behind-the-scenes machinations of public institutions.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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During periods of intense rainfall, the risk of flooding increases, particularly in low-lying and flood-prone areas.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
11 Oct. 2025
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The modern understanding of the Ring of Fire emerged with the theory of plate tectonics in the 1960s, which explained the region’s intense seismic and volcanic activity as the result of shifting tectonic plates.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Torturous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torturous. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
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