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
But the games must go on, and in the third installment, he’s forced to play even more torturous rounds that divide the players further, including a terrifying game of hide-and-seek and a deadly round of double Dutch.
—
Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
Teddi Mellencamp has finally emerged on the healthy side of a torturous, years-long battle with cancer.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 9 July 2025
Working out was a chore or—even worse—torturous penance for failing to become the impossible ever-shrinking woman.
—Julie Beck, The Atlantic, 3 July 2025
The push comes as nine inmates on death row filed a lawsuit in Davidson County Chancery Court in March saying the state’s new one-drug execution protocol brings the risk of a torturous death and has fewer safeguards compared to the previous protocol.
—Kelly Puente, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for torturous
Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
Teddi Mellencamp has finally emerged on the healthy side of a torturous, years-long battle with cancer.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 9 July 2025
Working out was a chore or—even worse—torturous penance for failing to become the impossible ever-shrinking woman.
—Julie Beck, The Atlantic, 3 July 2025
The push comes as nine inmates on death row filed a lawsuit in Davidson County Chancery Court in March saying the state’s new one-drug execution protocol brings the risk of a torturous death and has fewer safeguards compared to the previous protocol.
—Kelly Puente, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for torturous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torturous
Adjective
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Now, for the first time, nurses from 1950’s children homes break their silence, revealing new details about one of Israel’s most painful and unresolved cases.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
2 Aug. 2025
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Taking action to speak out against the Israeli government was deeply painful and difficult.—
Rachel Timoner,
New York Daily News,
2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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As the moon moves through Sagittarius, a harsh reality disturbs your inner peace.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
3 Aug. 2025
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Unlike harsh chemical cleaners or abrasive scrubbers like steel wool, salt effectively tackles grime while remaining safe for both wood and plastic cutting board surfaces.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Laura and Geoff tried to summarize the heights of Greg’s life — most tied to football — as well as his agonizing final 15 years.—
Christopher Kamrani,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
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News reports and photographs from Texas have been agonizing reminders of the damage nature can inflict.—
Frank Witsil,
Freep.com,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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That is a particularly egregious example of how the Trump Administration has been gratuitously cruel to the Sudanese.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
5 Aug. 2025
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Stacy, Tim’s wife, also died of pancreatic cancer five months later in February of 2024, a cruel hand for a family that for years had gone above and beyond in their efforts to raise money and awareness for cancer research.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Marvel Comics’s dysfunctional super-family proved that comic-book characters could be relatable, but so far, each attempt to create a Fantastic Four movie has ranged from forgettable to excruciating.—
Dale Obbie,
Vulture,
23 July 2025
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Despite undergoing more than 40 major surgeries and enduring excruciating treatments like wearing a metal facial brace at age 6, Resek continues to live with recurring infections, sleep apnea, and other lasting impacts of her condition.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
People.com,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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An intense pain that isn't going away There the lone doctor examined him and gave him an EKG to look at how his heart was functioning.—
Nicole Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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Sports, especially intense ones like rafting, invoke our competitive spirit.—
Shani Harmon,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Torturous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torturous. Accessed 14 Aug. 2025.
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