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
Literary Hub,
18 June 2026
The new Failure album that came out of that excruciating time, Location Lost, is the eccentric, gorgeous sound of the band working through that crisis.
—
Steve Appleford,
SPIN,
16 June 2026
That James left Northeast Ohio without ending Cleveland’s excruciating championship drought—the city hadn’t won a major pro sports title since 1964—added to the furor.
—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
9 June 2026
This goes on for two excruciating minutes.
—
Megan Greenwell,
Bloomberg,
9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for excruciating
Adjective
One narrative offers an excruciating description of damage done to a girl in a car crash.
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Literary Hub,
18 June 2026
The new Failure album that came out of that excruciating time, Location Lost, is the eccentric, gorgeous sound of the band working through that crisis.
—
Steve Appleford,
SPIN,
16 June 2026
That James left Northeast Ohio without ending Cleveland’s excruciating championship drought—the city hadn’t won a major pro sports title since 1964—added to the furor.
—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
9 June 2026
This goes on for two excruciating minutes.
—
Megan Greenwell,
Bloomberg,
9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for excruciating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excruciating
Adjective
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His most wrenching scene, when Stagg receives a devastating personal call but cannot react amid the intense geopolitical stakes, captured this tension.
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Another wrenching question, of course, is whether at least the younger Perez siblings would want or need to go with Olga to Guatemala if she were deported.
Adjective
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On Wednesday, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch outlined a slew of challenges facing the city this weekend, including huge Independence Day celebrations, a World Cup match and a searing heat wave.
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What began as searing pain in one of his arms was now a relentless ache in his chest.
Adjective
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And that says something painful about what my country has become, and my place in it.
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For thousands of Venezuelans, however, the absence of definitive answers has become one of the tragedy’s most painful consequences.
Adjective
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Indie Shakes managing director David Melville distills his production around scenes of intense conflict.
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As the planet warms, extreme heat events are becoming more common, intense and long-lasting.
Verb
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This comes at a time when existential fiscal anxiety has been plaguing Americans.
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The other factor that Mercedes needs to consider is that reliability issue that’s plaguing itself and its customer teams.
Adjective
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As part of her job, Angèle needs to daub makeup on the models’ feet, blistered from the torturous heels they’re forced to wear.
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The film tells the story of Greek hero Odysseus’ long, torturous and fantastical trip home from the Trojan War, back to the Kingdom of Ithaca to save his wife and son.
Adjective
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MacDonald agrees that some of Kiros' positions could put Democratic candidates in a tough spot.
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The 34 measures include cuts to income tax for low- and middle income families, an overhaul of the creaking pension system, tougher rules for employees' sick leave and a reduction of the country's stifling bureaucracy.
Adjective
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White settlers and frontier pioneers built vast, fenceless cattle stations, battling harsh environments and disease, embracing a hard-living culture that exists to this day.
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Dish Soap Using harsh chemicals on the outside of your toilet bowl and fixtures is not recommended, according to Meagher.
Cite this Entry
“Excruciating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excruciating. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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