Meaning & Definition of word "Excruciating"

Excruciating

/ɪkˈskruːʃieɪtɪŋ/

adjective:

  • 1. Intensely painful; causing great physical or mental suffering.
    • Example: He experienced excruciating pain after his surgery.
  • 2. Extremely intense or severe.
    • Example: The wait for the test results was excruciating.
  • 3. Causing great distress or anguish.
    • Example: The excruciating decision to move away from friends was difficult for her.
  • 4. Overly elaborate or complicated.
    • Example: The excruciating details of the procedure were too much for him to handle.

Etymology

From Latin 'excruciatus', past participle of 'excruciare' which means 'to torment, torture'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

excruciating pain:

Pain that is unbearable or highly intense.

excruciating wait:

A wait that feels extremely long due to discomfort or anxiety.

Related Words

torturous:

Causing torture or great pain.

anguish:

Severe mental or physical suffering.

Slang Meanings of excruciating

Meaning: A hell of a time

Example Sentence: This exam was an excruciating hell of a time!

Meaning: A real pain in the neck

Example Sentence: Listening to that lecture was an excruciating real pain in the neck.