excruciating

[ ik-skroo-shee-ey-ting ]

adjective

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

   an excruciating noise;

   excruciating pain.

   Synonyms: unendurable, racking, agonizing, insufferable, unbearable

2. exceedingly elaborate or intense; extreme:

   done with excruciating care.

excruciating

/ 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

Derived Forms

• exˈcruciˌatingly, adverb

Other Words From

• ex·cruci·ating·ly adverb
• unex·cruci·ating adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of excruciating¹

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

Example Sentences

Fanone felt an excruciating pain at the base of his skull—the taser—and cried out, but he couldn’t hear himself scream.

From Time

In law school I wrote a paper on the use of mechanical restraints in psychiatric hospitals based on my own excruciating experiences as a patient.

From No Straight News

I felt lighter, like you are suddenly free from an excruciating weight after you carry a load on your back, when I hung up.

From Washington Blade

She tried to stay cool by dragging her body into the sparsely available shade, though this caused excruciating pain in her pelvis.

From Outside Online

The procedure helped some, but things didn’t progress as doctors expected and one day, while driving, that excruciating pain shot down Delle Donne’s leg again.

From Washington Post

Her back popped, leaving the former softball star frozen in excruciating pain.

From The Daily Beast

The pain was so excruciating that talking was difficult for the man.

From The Daily Beast

“Songs” is indeed excruciating, not because U2 is a bad band, but because they are a great one who made a lousy record.

From The Daily Beast

Bucca ignored what must have been excruciating pain as he made his way to the bedside of Police Officer Steven McDonald.

From The Daily Beast

But if he positioned himself a certain way, he found he could avoid excruciating agony.

From The Daily Beast

This is a very dark frame of mind, consequent on overwork and the conclusion of the excruciating Ebb Tide.

From Project Gutenberg

As the child suffered excruciating pains he could not be transported on the ass.

From Project Gutenberg

The pain was so excruciating that after one moment of supreme agony, she trembled all over, then relapsed into unconsciousness.

From Project Gutenberg

I was wading slowly along the beach in rather deep water, when I suddenly felt a most excruciating pain in my left ankle.

From Project Gutenberg

The position of Holland and Denmark is one of excruciating anxiety to the citizens of those countries.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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