1
as in wrenching
intensely or unbearably painful
he finally visited the doctor when the pain became too excruciating to ignore
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
the excruciating grief they felt upon the loss of their dear grandfather
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in plaguing
to cause persistent suffering to
she has long been excruciated by an undiagnosed pain in her knee
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of excruciating
Bill Prince, theweek, 7 Nov. 2024
Helene's toll: Hurricane among the deadliest since 1950 The cost in dollars: Hurricane season will cost over $100B
Women online are warning each other about painful procedures
Kerry Schwartz suffered excruciating pain during a gynecological biopsy to have a fibroid removed.
—John Riley, USA TODAY, 2 Nov. 2024
In January 2023, Republicans had a 10-seat majority and McCarthy needed 15 excruciating ballots to win the gavel.
—Juliegrace Brufke, Axios, 23 Oct. 2024
For most, the telltale sign is the sudden onset of excruciating pain radiating from the side (flank) to the groin or inner thigh, which comes and goes in waves.
—Jay N. Yepuri, Verywell Health, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for excruciating 
Adjective
Marking its 70th anniversary in 2023, Buchinger Wilhelmi in Überlingen, Germany, was the brainchild of a clean-living German naval doctor, Otto Buchinger (1878-1966), whose career was cut short by excruciating rheumatism.
—Bill Prince, theweek, 7 Nov. 2024
Helene's toll: Hurricane among the deadliest since 1950 The cost in dollars: Hurricane season will cost over $100B
Women online are warning each other about painful procedures
Kerry Schwartz suffered excruciating pain during a gynecological biopsy to have a fibroid removed.
—John Riley, USA TODAY, 2 Nov. 2024
In January 2023, Republicans had a 10-seat majority and McCarthy needed 15 excruciating ballots to win the gavel.
—Juliegrace Brufke, Axios, 23 Oct. 2024
For most, the telltale sign is the sudden onset of excruciating pain radiating from the side (flank) to the groin or inner thigh, which comes and goes in waves.
—Jay N. Yepuri, Verywell Health, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for excruciating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excruciating
Adjective
-
Larry Kramer's searing indictment of mainstream media and the healthcare establishment in the early years of the AIDS crisis is as powerful as ever.Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 10 Dec. 2024
-
Le Pen delivered a searing account of the political drama that had consumed the country since June 9th.Lauren Collins, The New Yorker, 7 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Being apart from them was a painful sacrifice, but the promise of Canadian residency for her and eventually her children seemed worth it.Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024
-
Divorce is a profoundly personal and often painful experience, made even more complex for entrepreneurs whose personal and business lives are closely intertwined.Sara Khaki, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
The warm front is a sharp contrast to the close of last week when an arctic surge swept across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic with snow squalls, whiteouts and intense bursts of wind that left 20 million Americans under winter weather warnings or advisories.Susan Miller, USA TODAY, 9 Dec. 2024
-
Becoming a professor requires years and years of intense study, often carried out in isolation and poverty.Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 8 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
The two halves of this character combine in a captivating performance for which Goggins was happy to endure a torturous prosthetic.Ryan Fleming, Deadline, 13 June 2024
-
According to the political scientist Pierre Englebert, the Congolese government and people lose as much as $4 billion in revenue every year due to state agents’ manipulation of mining contracts and payments, torturous budget practices, and outright theft.Stephen R. Weissman, Foreign Affairs, 8 June 2015
Adjective
-
The clients’ storefronts are positioned to succeed in a sometimes tough marketplace by focusing on exclusivity and quality.Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
-
In a time when people approach political, social and economic issues with a different set of information and fake news is rampant, the best way to do that is to approach tough conversations with stories rather than facts.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
The corps’ push for additional benefits coincided with a harsh realization for the British Army: For white men, service in the West Indies was viewed as a death sentence due to the high risk of disease.Kinsey Gidick, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Dec. 2024
-
This is especially key as bitcoin has surged to $100,000 , meaning that the earliest holders with the lowest basis could be facing harsh taxes on sale.Darla Mercado, CFP®, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Read More: How Leaked Police Interviews with Benjamin Netanyahu Became ‘The Bibi Files’ The only other Gaza City hospital with a NICU, Al-Sahaba hospital, operates under limited capacity, and is only able to offer basic level one care to infants— those without complex or intensive medical needs.Juwayriah Wright, TIME, 13 Dec. 2024
-
The company also provides intensive and critical care units; cardiovascular, digestive disease, neurosciences, musculoskeletal and obstetrics services; and outpatient services like physical therapy.Charles Rotblut, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Maylia and Jack are both kids, two of the untold number of minors caught up in one side or the other of the burgeoning fentanyl trade afflicting the US.Longreads, Longreads, 4 Oct. 2024
-
Whatever's afflicting you out there, in here the coffee is always hot, the fries are always crispy and the ranch dip is always free.Tyler Buchanan, Axios, 18 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near excruciating
Cite this Entry
“Excruciating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excruciating. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share