excruciating

adjective

ex·​cru·​ci·​at·​ing ik-ˈskrü-shē-ˌā-tiŋ How to pronounce excruciating (audio)
1
: causing great pain or anguish : agonizing
the nation's most excruciating dilemmaW. H. Ferry
2
: very intense : extreme
excruciating pain
excruciatingly adverb

Examples of excruciating in a Sentence

I have an excruciating headache. an excruciating moment of embarrassment They described their vacation in excruciating detail.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
This has been an excruciating season for the Browns, their coach, and especially for Winston, the backup quarterback to starter Deshaun Watson, who has missed most of the season with a torn Achilles tendon. Jim Ingraham, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024 Ewing’s left foot was so badly injured that putting any pressure on it caused excruciating pain, even a year later. Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024 Michael Aylwin’s second-person account of caring for his wife, Vanessa, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at age 49, confronts the disease’s excruciating toll on the patient, their primary carer, and their family while exposing well-meaning yet woefully inadequate government and community support. Krista Stevens, Longreads, 9 Dec. 2024 None of the series is easy to watch, but the fourth episode — in which the 36-year-old comedian takes a multi-day road trip with his estranged father, Joe — is both excruciating and intensely moving. Ew Staff, EW.com, 5 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for excruciating 

Word History

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of excruciating was in 1599

Dictionary Entries Near excruciating

Cite this Entry

“Excruciating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/excruciating. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

excruciating

adjective
ex·​cru·​ci·​at·​ing
ik-ˈskrü-shē-ˌāt-iŋ
1
: causing great mental or physical pain : agonizing
excruciating torture
an excruciating decision to leave
2
: very severe
excruciating pain
excruciatingly
-iŋ-lē
adverb
Etymology

derived from Latin excruciatus, past participle of excruciare "to torture," from ex- "out of, from" and cruciare "to torment, crucify," from cruc-, crux "cross" — related to cross, crucial, crucify

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