excruciating 1 of 2

adjective

ik-ˈskrü-shē-ˌā-tiŋ How to pronounce excruciating (audio)
Definition of excruciatingnext
1
as in wrenching
intensely or unbearably painful he finally visited the doctor when the pain became too excruciating to ignore

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2
as in searing
difficult to endure the excruciating heat that the settlers faced as they crossed the deserts of the Southwest

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3
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally most excruciating of all was the endless wait for news of any survivors of the plane crash

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4
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect the excruciating grief they felt upon the loss of their dear grandfather

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excruciating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of excruciate
as in plaguing
to cause persistent suffering to she has long been excruciated by an undiagnosed pain in her knee

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of excruciating
Adjective
Wolff recounts in excruciating detail Murdoch’s attempts to rekindle their old magic. — Benjamin Svetkey, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Feb. 2025 In late 2019, sudden, excruciating pain in my pelvis sent me to the emergency room. — Katrina Martin, Health, 4 Mar. 2025 The finish is long on the palate with an excruciating persistence of coal and extinguished forest fire. — Emily Price, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025 For a while the shock and adrenaline take over and mask the pain but then in the ambulance ride every single bump in the road was excruciating ... — Sam Blum, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for excruciating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excruciating
  1. searing
  2. painful
  3. intense
  4. torturous
  5. tough
  6. harsh
  7. intensive
  8. afflicting
Adjective
  • The main topic of conversation was how the duo turned a photo album featuring the banal daily activities of workers at Auschwitz-Birkenau into a searing play.
    — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Every actor’s Hamlet is theirs and theirs alone, and Olivier’s is big and hammy and searing and often quite devastating.
    — Will Leitch, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
Definition of searing
Adjective
  • Even the indoor scenes were painful because you’re locked inside that heat.
    — Lynette Rice, Deadline, 23 Mar. 2025
  • The recent swoon, while painful for current shareholders, has driven the headline yield up to 6% and has driven valuations down—NOG trades for 7 times earnings estimates and at a low price/earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio of 0.56 (anything below 1 is considered to be undervalued).
    — Brett Owens, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
Definition of painful
Adjective
  • An intense look at the world of competitive bodybuilding and remake of a Argentine thriller top our roundup of this week’s new films.
    — Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2025
  • After the match finished in a 1-1 draw, Ferguson and West Ham’s unused substitutions had an intense running session on the Goodison Park pitch with a backroom staff member.
    — Roshane Thomas, The Athletic, 20 Mar. 2025
Definition of intense
Adjective
  • The crane-hunt proposal reminds some observers of Wisconsin’s torturous experience with approving a mourning dove hunt a generation ago.
    — Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 17 Jan. 2025
  • The Lombardi is more Holy Grail than trophy, the end of what can only be described as a torturous emotional pilgrimage.
    — Ali Watkins, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2025
Definition of torturous
Adjective
  • This likely helped maintain its brand trust during tough times. 8.
    — Paul Klein, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
  • As long as Flagg is on the floor, the Blue Devils will be a tough out.
    — Tobias Bass, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025
Definition of tough
Adjective
  • Designed for hiking and other outdoor adventures, these water-resistant pants are made with UPF 50 protection from harsh sun rays along with several spacious, handy pockets.
    — Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 22 Mar. 2025
  • Trump’s election confirmed, to some on the Left, that the country really was as bad as some of their harshest rhetoric suggested.
    — Alexander Nazaryan, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of harsh
Adjective
  • Finding and synthesizing that data would be both labor intensive and expensive for the district to do itself.
    — Jennah Pendleton, Sacramento Bee, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Our only leverage were the ongoing national-level intensive negotiations over the NAFTA environmental side-accords.
    — Serge Dedina, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of intensive
Verb
  • An audacious plan In the mid-1980s, global health agencies were otherwise occupied and heads of state largely overlooked the illness afflicting millions of their citizens.
    — Sam Mednick, Chicago Tribune, 30 Dec. 2024
  • The United States now suffers from twin pathologies—one afflicting the health of its citizens and the other the health of its political system.
    — Thomas J. Bollyky, Foreign Affairs, 30 Jan. 2020
Definition of afflicting

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excruciates
excruciating
excruciation
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Cite this Entry

“Excruciating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excruciating. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of excruciating for Spanish Speakers

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