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
Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
After an excruciating wait, the parole board came back with a decision.
—Erin Moriarty, Liza Finley, CBS News, 4 May 2025
In his memoir My Next Breath, released April 29, the Oscar nominee detailed the January 2023 experience in excruciating detail.
—Jack Smart, People.com, 1 May 2025
Then the plane smashed into the ground, and the excruciating pain and suffering of those unlucky enough to be on board that day began.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for excruciating
Adjective
Adolescence examines, in almost excruciating detail, a parent’s worst nightmare.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
After an excruciating wait, the parole board came back with a decision.
—Erin Moriarty, Liza Finley, CBS News, 4 May 2025
In his memoir My Next Breath, released April 29, the Oscar nominee detailed the January 2023 experience in excruciating detail.
—Jack Smart, People.com, 1 May 2025
Then the plane smashed into the ground, and the excruciating pain and suffering of those unlucky enough to be on board that day began.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for excruciating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excruciating
Adjective
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His breakthrough role proved to be a history-making one too, securing the part of David, aka Tsotsi, in Gavin Hood’s searing 2005 crime drama Tsotsi.—
Abid Rahman,
HollywoodReporter,
27 May 2025
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And of all the heartbreak Indiana has caused Knicks fans over the years, this might be the most searing.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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And sometimes, that transformation, though painful, can deepen our capacity for compassion, connection, and appreciation for the precious gift of life itself.—
Charell G. Coleman,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
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For millions of Americans, the road to an Alzheimer’s diagnosis is slow and painful, sought only when symptoms become unmistakable.—
Louise Jacobsen Fisher,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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The auto-revive for solo players on Night Lords is to combat the intense difficulties of those fights where a single wrong move can be death.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
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And, believe it or not, Europe does have air conditioning, which can be quite an intense shift when moving between the outdoors into coach buses or stores.—
Gregory Robinson,
Travel + Leisure,
31 May 2025
Adjective
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Included in that torturous run was a 24-game losing streak.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
1 June 2025
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Jenkins wants to retire to focus on her health, leaving a legacy of having led her community through a torturous time.—
Curtis Bunn,
NBC news,
25 May 2025
Adjective
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When staring at twin suns like from much greater distances — many light-years away — astronomers have a much tougher time than young Skywalker in determining two stars from one.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
3 June 2025
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There are powerful levers to pull if Trump chooses, like increasing US military aid or imposing tough new sanctions, such as those overwhelmingly supported in the US Senate.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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Kilar’s bold moves and harsh comeuppance beg the question: In an age of uncertainty, should Hollywood look to innovative but potentially disruptive outsiders or elevate from within?—
Peter Kiefer,
HollywoodReporter,
4 June 2025
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From growing up in the streets of Kansas City to serving jail time, Gilliam shared how rapping about his harsh experiences has made fans love him.—
Ramal Nasim,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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Ware picked up all the cases while on intensive supervised release after serving three years and three months for aiding and abetting first-degree robbery out of Hennepin County.—
Nick Ferraro,
Twin Cities,
6 June 2025
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Russia used a Tu-160 in intensive overnight missile and drone strikes across Ukraine, Kyiv's air force said on Friday.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 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 10 Jun. 2025.
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