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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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
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Recent Examples of excruciating
Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 24 Mar. 2025
There was intense, excruciating pain written all over the faces and croaking in the voices because it’s supposed to hurt when something this good comes to an end.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 23 Mar. 2025
Finally Brooks had to let down — that was excruciating.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 13 Mar. 2025
This, along with the excruciating challenges of being in the wild, meant Mandy’s journey would test every ounce of her strength and resilience.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 8 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for excruciating
Adjective
That was thrilling, nail-biting and excruciating all at the same time.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 24 Mar. 2025
There was intense, excruciating pain written all over the faces and croaking in the voices because it’s supposed to hurt when something this good comes to an end.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 23 Mar. 2025
Finally Brooks had to let down — that was excruciating.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 13 Mar. 2025
This, along with the excruciating challenges of being in the wild, meant Mandy’s journey would test every ounce of her strength and resilience.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 8 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for excruciating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excruciating
Adjective
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Stir-frying is a method of quickly searing and cooking bite-size pieces of protein and vegetables in a splash of oil over high heat.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
1 Apr. 2025
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Theron’s performance as the one-armed warrior Furiosa is one for the ages—stoic, searing and unbearably emotional beneath the surface.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
29 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Winning that competition’s final in the Spanish city of Bilbao on Wednesday, May 21 would not only rescue a largely painful 2024-25 for either club but will also give them a spot in the 2025-26 Champions League, meaning six Premier League sides taking part in it next season.—
Sam Lee,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
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Alongside successes like vaccinations and the reduction of car crash fatalities, community water fluoridation has been hailed as one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century, having saved millions of Americans from costly and painful dental procedures.—
Alana Wise,
NPR,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The missions became more intense as Japan's outlook grew more dire and the military showcased the sacrifice of the pilots to drum up patriotism and support for the war.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2025
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Next, the authors report that repressive techniques are often effective in suppressing protest in the short run but tend to make resistance more intense in the long term.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Pair this struggle with the painstaking awareness that sleep is essential for your daily functioning, and sleep deprivation can quickly become maddening — or even torturous.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
2 Apr. 2025
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But the stubborn Pharaoh continued his torturous ways.—
Holly Rizzuto Palker,
Parents,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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If a tough memory comes up, imagine your adult self swooping in to take care of your child self.—
Carolyn L. Todd,
SELF,
4 Apr. 2025
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But the Lotus ladies will have some tough competition, including seven-time winner Allison Janney, two-time winner Patricia Arquette, and potential double nominee Kaitlyn Dever.—
Kristen Baldwin,
EW.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Fancy Homi Body Lumbar $20 Amazon Corduroy is an excellent way to soften otherwise rigid-looking furniture with too many harsh lines.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
14 Mar. 2025
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First, military leaders stopped considering space as a benign environment, where threats from the harsh environment of space reign supreme.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Class-size mandates effectively compete with other investments, like hiring more mental health professionals or investing in intensive teacher training for the existing workforce.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
11 Apr. 2025
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That could include chemical-intensive lab work like testing sea lions, killer whales and walruses from Alaska for environmental contaminants, Tolimieri said.—
Lisa Song,
ProPublica,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
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That’s changing this year, as three Democratic governors announced new initiatives aimed at addressing disparities afflicting boys and men.—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC news,
25 Mar. 2025
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One key focus of these efforts should address the deficiencies afflicting the market for biologics, which are medicines made or derived from biological processes.—
Wayne Winegarden,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Excruciating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excruciating. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.
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