harrowing

adjective

har·​row·​ing ˈher-ə-wiŋ How to pronounce harrowing (audio)
ˈha-rə-
Synonyms of harrowing
: acutely distressing or painful
a harrowing experience
Mr. Wu's work in a coal mine was particularly harrowing.—Charles Horner
harrowingly adverb

Synonyms of harrowing

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Examples of harrowing in a Sentence

a harrowing portrayal of the ravages of war the harrowing amputations without any anesthetic that soldiers and sailors once were forced to endure
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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For some Lampedusans, the experience of pulling dead bodies out of the sea has left a harrowing mark. — Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 6 July 2026 The police report details a harrowing scene where Bland instructed one of the children in the home to retrieve a knife, but the child claimed to not know why. — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026 The result is mesmerizing and harrowing, as the effects of the country’s ongoing opioid crisis don’t have to be dramatized so much as seen. — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 1 July 2026 In this harrowing novel, two families pass long, uncertain hours in the waiting rooms of a Manhattan hospital. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for harrowing

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of harrow entry 3

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of harrowing was in 1799

Rhymes for harrowing

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Browse Nearby Words

harrower
harrowing
harrow-plow
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Cite this Entry

“Harrowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/harrowing. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on harrowing

Nglish: Translation of harrowing for Spanish Speakers

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