excruciating

American  

[ik-skroo-shee-ey-ting] / ɪkˈskru ʃiˌeɪ tɪŋ /

adjective

1. extremely painful; causing intense suffering; unbearably distressing; torturing: excruciating pain.

   an excruciating noise;

   excruciating pain.

   Synonyms:

   racking, agonizing, unendurable, insufferable, unbearable

2. exceedingly elaborate or intense; extreme.

   done with excruciating care.

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excruciating British  

/ ɪkˈskruːʃɪˌeɪtɪŋ /

adjective

1. unbearably painful; agonizing

2. intense; extreme

   he took excruciating pains to do it well

3. informal irritating; trying

4. humorous very bad

   an excruciating pun

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Other Word Forms

• excruciatingly adverb
• unexcruciating adjective

Etymology

Origin of excruciating

First recorded in 1655–65; excruciat(e) + -ing ²

Explanation

Something that’s really intense or painful is excruciating. If you go skiing and break your leg in several places, the ride from the slope to the hospital will be excruciating — unless you're unconscious, too. Excruciating doesn't just hurt. It feels like torture. This adjective actually comes to us from the Latin excruciatus, which means “to afflict, harass, vex, torment.” Extremely painful injuries are certainly excruciating, but sometimes so are tedious tasks or long waits: Watching the old lady in front of you pay for her groceries one nickel at a time can be just as excruciating as 4 broken ribs, especially if you're in a hurry.

Example Sentences

The children and families at Dilley are often held under excruciating conditions, but their numbers are declining: Since Castro’s first trip, in January, the population at the center has dropped from 1,100 to just 450.

From Slate • Mar. 20, 2026

And I’m sorry that your ex’s choice to be avoidant is only making what I imagine to be a painful process that much more excruciating and drawn out.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 9, 2026

She also recounted suffering "excruciating" pain during childbirth, telling fans: "I spent five to six hours rolling around in the bed crying in agony."

From BBC • Feb. 5, 2026

Marseille suffered a late collapse and blew a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at Paris FC in Ligue 1 on Saturday with the pain still fresh from their excruciating Champions League exit.

From Barron's • Jan. 31, 2026

Unable to glide smoothly through capillaries and veins, sickled red cells jammed into microscopic clots throughout the body, interrupting blood flow and precipitating the excruciating pain of a sickling crisis.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Related Words

• acute
• agonizing
• exquisite
• grueling
• harrowing
• intense
• searing
• severe
• unbearable