harrowing
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of harrowing
Explanation
Being attacked by a hungry shark or being chased by an unruly mob on the streets can be described as harrowing, which means "provoking feelings of fear or horror." The adjective harrowing is often used to describe a firsthand experience that is terrifying, such as a harrowing drive home in icy weather, but it can also refer to a secondhand experience, such as reading or watching something that is very frightening or disturbing. If you read someone’s account of being shipwrecked in Antarctica, you might describe that as a harrowing story. A harrowing experience typically unfolds over a period of time. For example, if you bump into a shark while swimming, that’s merely scary. If the shark attacks you, then it becomes a harrowing ordeal.
Vocabulary lists containing harrowing
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Grade 9, List 5
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The Catcher in the Rye
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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.
Starmer, a former chief state prosecutor in England and Wales, called the video "harrowing" and said there were "serious questions" to answer about the case.
From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026
Speaking to broadcasters earlier in the day, Sir Keir said the bodycam footage was "really harrowing" and he'd "felt sick watching it".
From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026
The harrowing sequence of events began just over a week ago, but the alleged stalker has been spotted near the “Please, Please, Please” singer’s home since April, according to court documents reviewed by The Times.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2026
He is so eager to intimidate survivors that he’s willing to pay the price of reminding Americans that E. Jean Carroll — and the harrowing, compelling story she tells — exists.
From Salon • May 29, 2026
Some two or three days later I noticed a change in Kuti: his eyes lost their dullness and the whimpering that had been so harrowing to listen to lessened and stopped.
From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
