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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of excruciating
Jeff Faraudo, The Mercury News, 9 Nov. 2024
An excruciating pause followed, pregnant enough to suggest triplets.
—Taylor Eff, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2024
In worst-case scenarios, some owners make the excruciating decision between a poor quality of life for their dog, or euthanizing the animal to end its suffering, vets told USA TODAY.
—Claire Thornton, USA TODAY, 8 Nov. 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for excruciating 
Adjective
After suffering four excruciating defeats to begin its first season in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Cal could have been swallowed up by deja vu when Wake Forest fought back to trail just 39-36 midway through the fourth quarter on Friday night.
—Jeff Faraudo, The Mercury News, 9 Nov. 2024
An excruciating pause followed, pregnant enough to suggest triplets.
—Taylor Eff, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2024
In worst-case scenarios, some owners make the excruciating decision between a poor quality of life for their dog, or euthanizing the animal to end its suffering, vets told USA TODAY.
—Claire Thornton, USA TODAY, 8 Nov. 2024
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
See all Example Sentences for excruciating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for excruciating
Adjective
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There are no searing indictments of political injustice this time from the erstwhile leftist-rock vanguard of the aughts.Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2024
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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
Adjective
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Other ministers told their flocks that God was present even in painful, traumatic moments.Natalie Eilbert, Journal Sentinel, 24 Dec. 2024
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After all, a ring that is too big can easily slip off, while a ring that’s too small can be painful.Shelby Wax, Vogue, 24 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Media coverage of Walker’s messy private life has been intense.Oliver Kay, The Athletic, 20 Dec. 2024
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Christmas Solo chronicles the life of two single parents who stumble into the possibility of love for Christmas, only to learn that their daughters are tangled in an intense rivalry at school.Skyler Caruso, People.com, 19 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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His other contributions of 7, 5, 11 and 3 have been hard to watch for their torturous uncertainty.Tim Ellis, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024
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Frantic searches for gas and plywood, relentless debates over staying or going, and the torturous uncertainty of a wobbly track came down to one moment Wednesday night: Landfall.Kathryn Varn, Axios, 10 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Carro, known for his tough stance on crime and his experience with cases involving terrorism enhancements, will play a key role in shaping the trial's proceedings.Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
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In December, the West Central Montana Avalanche Center made the tough decision to no longer send avalanche experts to Seeley Lake to test the snowpack.Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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In part because Colombian troops were unable to traverse harsh jungles, Panama declared an effectively bloodless independence within hours in November 1903.Will Weissert, Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2024
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Relying on harsh overhead lighting can cause a room to feel clinical and cold while too few lights make a room feel dim and sleepy.Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 24 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The hotel uses local and regional plants for landscaping that do not rely on intensive irrigation, and of course, there is the organic garden that provides ingredients for the restaurants, which also only uses biodegradable takeout materials.Devorah Lev-Tov, Travel + Leisure, 26 Dec. 2024
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These agencies represent just the tip of the iceberg, and DOGE should require intensive across-the-board legacy IT audits.Stuart N. Brotman, Boston Herald, 26 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The swift growth has been accompanied by stressors afflicting the city’s infrastructure, including its housing supply.Jeffrey Steele, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
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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
Thesaurus Entries Near excruciating
Cite this Entry
“Excruciating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excruciating. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
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