excruciate

[ik-skroo-shee-eyt]

verb (used with object)

excruciated, excruciating 

1. to inflict severe pain upon; torture.

   The headache excruciated him.

2. to cause mental anguish to; irritate greatly.

excruciate

/ ɪkˈskruːʃɪˌeɪt /

verb

1. to inflict mental suffering on; torment

2. obsolete,  to inflict physical pain on; torture

Other Word Forms

• excruciation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of excruciate¹

1560–70; < Latin excruciātus, past participle of excruciāre to torment, torture, equivalent to ex- ex- ¹ + cruciāre to torment, crucify (derivative of crux cross); -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of excruciate¹

C16: from Latin excruciāre, from cruciāre to crucify, from crux cross

Example Sentences

Though he was in “excruciating” pain, his tune aimed for uplift.

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In the pantheon of losses, this was arguably the most excruciating.

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It was an excruciating process, which took almost two years.

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He and his team accumulated so much material that they had to cut dozens of profiles and recipes from the final product, a process that Wareheim called excruciating.

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“And then having found the fortitude to do so, we begin the excruciating yet exquisite process of letting go.”

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Related Words

• agonize