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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Kate Sequeira, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2025
Those excruciating days as my brother fought for his life, my mom was there every day reading my brother the Scriptures and praying over him.
—Aaron McNaughton, New York Daily News, 7 June 2025
With just a few deliveries left in the Indian Premier League final, a triumph in the bag for Royal Challengers Bengaluru having finally secured a title after an excruciating wait of 17 years, cricket’s biggest superstar Virat Kohli was teary-eyed and on his haunches in the outfield.
—Tristan Lavalette, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
That story isn’t about the nurse so much as the patients who saw their excruciating pain systematically ignored, and Burton conveys them as a kind of Greek chorus, individual voices cycling in and out to conjure a sense of collective experience.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for excruciating
Adjective
These and other queries are sparking excruciating — and potentially life-altering — discussions centered on planning for the possible deportation of a family member.
—Kate Sequeira, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2025
Those excruciating days as my brother fought for his life, my mom was there every day reading my brother the Scriptures and praying over him.
—Aaron McNaughton, New York Daily News, 7 June 2025
With just a few deliveries left in the Indian Premier League final, a triumph in the bag for Royal Challengers Bengaluru having finally secured a title after an excruciating wait of 17 years, cricket’s biggest superstar Virat Kohli was teary-eyed and on his haunches in the outfield.
—Tristan Lavalette, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
That story isn’t about the nurse so much as the patients who saw their excruciating pain systematically ignored, and Burton conveys them as a kind of Greek chorus, individual voices cycling in and out to conjure a sense of collective experience.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for excruciating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excruciating
Adjective
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About a dozen have visited or have plans to make stops in the early primary states, such as Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, 60, who in April caught attention for delivering a searing speech in New Hampshire aimed at 'do-nothing' Democrats.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
2 Aug. 2025
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Central Florida faces another searing day Sunday with the National Weather Service placing much of the region under another heat advisory, and conditions could worsen Monday.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 July 2025
Adjective
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The Chinese government can also make diversification painful.—
Steve Banker,
Forbes.com,
2 Aug. 2025
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Taking action to speak out against the Israeli government was deeply painful and difficult.—
Rachel Timoner,
New York Daily News,
2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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An intense pain that isn't going away There the lone doctor examined him and gave him an EKG to look at how his heart was functioning.—
Nicole Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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In Naomi Alderman's contemporary work, the recognizable world is all but the same, except for the shocking revelation that teenage girls can now conduct electricity to cause intense physical pain or death to others.—
Robert English,
EW.com,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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Despite his large body of work as a MAGA sycophant, YouTuber Benny Johnson couldn’t swallow Trump’s logically torturous explanations of why his backers should just forget about Epstein.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
19 July 2025
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But the games must go on, and in the third installment, he’s forced to play even more torturous rounds that divide the players further, including a terrifying game of hide-and-seek and a deadly round of double Dutch.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
Adjective
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Lamont, who had proposed boosting special education aid by $40 million — but not until July 2026 — countered that the state budget already was on pace to exceed the budget cap and that legislators needed to make tough choices and trim spending.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
2 Aug. 2025
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In The Naked Gun, the perennial tough guy Liam Neeson makes a perfect transition to comedy.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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As the moon moves through Sagittarius, a harsh reality disturbs your inner peace.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
3 Aug. 2025
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Unlike harsh chemical cleaners or abrasive scrubbers like steel wool, salt effectively tackles grime while remaining safe for both wood and plastic cutting board surfaces.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Critics question whether a battery swap network—capital intensive, dependent on fleet adoption, and distributed across so many different markets—can scale profitably.—
Clay Chandler,
Fortune,
19 July 2025
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An intensive moisturiser that delivers maximum hydration, Revision’s DermProtect Barrier Defense™ also replenishes natural lipids, and enhances moisture retention.—
Angela Lei,
Forbes.com,
13 July 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 6 Aug. 2025.
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