excruciating

1 of 2

adjective

ex·​cru·​ci·​at·​ing ik-ˈskrü-shē-ˌā-tiŋ 

1

: causing great pain or anguish : agonizing

… the nation's most excruciating dilemma …

—W. H. Ferry

2

: very intense : extreme

excruciating pain

excruciatingly

ik-ˈskrü-shē-ˌā-tiŋ-lē 

adverb

excruciating

2 of 2

present participle of excruciate

Synonyms of excruciating

Adjective

• wrenching
• torturous
• agonizing
• intense
• torturing

Examples of excruciating in a Sentence

Adjective

I have an excruciating headache.

an excruciating moment of embarrassment

They described their vacation in excruciating detail.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Then the day came, two weeks before a drop-dead deadline on a final draft of a novel, when the pain was yelp-out-loud excruciating in any position other than lying flat on the floor, or standing. — Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2026

Sigurd’s departure only deepens this cynicism, which Livia clings to for 27 years — until the pair reconnect on the phone for a truly excruciating conversation. — Sam Worley, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026

However committed Robinson was to staying, the emotional experience was excruciating. — Eyal Press, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026

The timeline in the report of one woman enduring Maduko’s behavior is excruciating to read. — Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for excruciating

• abdicating
• abrogating
• activating
• actuating
• advocating
• aggravating
• aggregating
• agitating
• allocating
• alternating
• animating
• annotating

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

Adjective

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