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Synonyms

harrowing

American  
[har-oh-ing] / ˈhær oʊ ɪŋ /

adjective

  1. extremely disturbing or distressing; grievous.

    a harrowing experience.

    Synonyms:
    heartbreaking, agonizing, painful

Other Word Forms

  • harrowingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of harrowing

First recorded in 1800–10; harrow 1 + -ing 2

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"I think it is important to support any means, any possibility, of not forgetting," added Gelber, who has shared his harrowing experiences with more than 1,000 schools and institutions.

From Barron's

It was too dangerous for Talankin to film the funeral, but he recorded her harrowing audio instead.

From BBC

He hopes the harrowing journey leaves a lasting impression on viewers.

From BBC

It is harrowing but also wearisome stuff, a bit Liza with a zzzzz.

From The Wall Street Journal

The charges ultimately collapsed, but not before putting Drake through a harrowing ordeal detailed by The New Yorker, “60 Minutes” and the documentary “Silenced.”

From Salon