harrowing
adjective
har·row·ing
ˈher-ə-wiŋ 
ˈha-rə-
: acutely distressing or painful
a harrowing experience
Mr. Wu's work in a coal mine was particularly harrowing.—
Charles Horner
Charles Horner
harrowingly
adverb
Examples of harrowing in a Sentence
a harrowing portrayal of the ravages of war
the harrowing amputations without any anesthetic that soldiers and sailors once were forced to endure
Recent Examples on the Web
The timing of the interview—just a few days before Holy Week, when Christians like Nancy and Savannah Guthrie, year after year, stage a harrowing reënactment of an unjust, torturous death—wasn’t lost on anyone.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026
Rodger had been a war correspondent for LIFE magazine during World War II and captured many remarkable and harrowing images before going on to cofound the legendary Magnum photo agency along with Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and David Seymour.
—Simon De Burton, Robb Report, 1 Apr. 2026
Woods' most harrowing car crash came in February 2021.
—Megan Armstrong, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
After hearing her sister's harrowing story, Boehler promised to help.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for harrowing
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Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026
Rodger had been a war correspondent for LIFE magazine during World War II and captured many remarkable and harrowing images before going on to cofound the legendary Magnum photo agency along with Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and David Seymour.
—Simon De Burton, Robb Report, 1 Apr. 2026
Woods' most harrowing car crash came in February 2021.
—Megan Armstrong, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
After hearing her sister's harrowing story, Boehler promised to help.
—Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for harrowing
Cite this Entry
“Harrowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/harrowing. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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