as in winding
marked by a long series of irregular curves
a tortuous mountain road marked by numerous hairpin turns
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Recent Examples of tortuous
Sharks with lower energy reserves, in contrast, exhibited more tortuous or localized movements, likely reflecting a strategy constrained by limited metabolic capacity.
—
Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 19 Jan. 2026
Their adoption follows tortuous negotiations with the powerful governors of Nigeria’s 36 states, hundreds of legislators and labor union leaders.
—Nduka Orjinmo, Bloomberg, 2 Jan. 2026
In phantom endovascular models, the robot successfully navigated through tortuous vessel-like structures, demonstrating the technique’s potential for minimally invasive vascular interventions.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 1 Jan. 2026
For his role in the movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas, which came out in 2000, Jim Carrey’s tortuous costume and makeup had him on the verge of walking away from a $20 million paycheck.
—Nino Paoli, Fortune, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tortuous
Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 19 Jan. 2026
Their adoption follows tortuous negotiations with the powerful governors of Nigeria’s 36 states, hundreds of legislators and labor union leaders.
—Nduka Orjinmo, Bloomberg, 2 Jan. 2026
In phantom endovascular models, the robot successfully navigated through tortuous vessel-like structures, demonstrating the technique’s potential for minimally invasive vascular interventions.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 1 Jan. 2026
For his role in the movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas, which came out in 2000, Jim Carrey’s tortuous costume and makeup had him on the verge of walking away from a $20 million paycheck.
—Nino Paoli, Fortune, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tortuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tortuous
Adjective
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Soneva Jani stretches almost four miles along a stunning lagoon, with a small, lush island connecting two winding jetties, each snaking through the turquoise waters and leading to a collection of unique overwater villas.—
William Curtis,
Travel + Leisure,
6 May 2026
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Even the entrance is enveloping—a winding, sheltered, dark wooden path that smells like intense relaxation and essential oils.—
Morgan Fargo,
Vogue,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Jimmy Fairly’s exaggerated proportions and curved shield shapes feel perfectly aligned with that energy.—
Lauren Fisher,
Footwear News,
16 May 2026
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With its curved ceiling, the 120-seat auditorium serves not just as a film and laser show venue but also as a planetarium.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado,
Sacbee.com,
16 May 2026
Adjective
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The Aquazzura pair, the Twist 95, featured an open toe, a backless slide shape and two twisted straps across the front of the foot.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
16 May 2026
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As polished-glam and old-Hollywood as the references were, there were moments that also felt sleazy and fun in the way that Hollywood in 2007 did, when getting photographed pouring out of a car on the way into the club was a rite of passage and full of its own twisted promise.—
Julissa James,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Like a vibrantly hued snake darting down the narrow branch of a tree, the collective of high-performance automobiles rapidly navigates the narrow, serpentine artery along the Northeastern Italian coast, a quicksilver-like tracing of the border between Il Bel Paese and Slovenia.—
Viju Mathew,
Robb Report,
11 May 2026
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The Comeback never got any nominations in the supporting categories, but Andrew Scott could pull some attention as the show’s serpentine tech-bro CEO.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tortuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tortuous. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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