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
Pascal lends his distinctive, soulful voice to his character, with stunt performers Brendan Wayne and Lateef Crowder handling the extensive physical demands that include a harrowing underwater battle.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2026
Driver ably brings the heartbreak in Paper Tiger, though Johansson’s no slouch in a less ornate but no less harrowing role that involves her character having a health scare and having to develop a very different perspective on the future.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 17 May 2026
In other harrowing instances, Panettiere said an Oscar winner once exposed himself to her at an industry party and a close female friend once invited her, then 18, onto a superyacht, only to abandon her to a famous man, who was undressed.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 16 May 2026
But Sweets' harrowing incident seems to have changed her as well.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for harrowing
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Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2026
Driver ably brings the heartbreak in Paper Tiger, though Johansson’s no slouch in a less ornate but no less harrowing role that involves her character having a health scare and having to develop a very different perspective on the future.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 17 May 2026
In other harrowing instances, Panettiere said an Oscar winner once exposed himself to her at an industry party and a close female friend once invited her, then 18, onto a superyacht, only to abandon her to a famous man, who was undressed.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 16 May 2026
But Sweets' harrowing incident seems to have changed her as well.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 15 May 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 21 May. 2026.
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