HARROWING Synonyms: 152 Similar and Opposite Words

harrowing 1 of 2

adjective

ˈher-ə-wiŋ

Definition of harrowing

as in painful

hard to accept or bear especially emotionally a harrowing portrayal of the ravages of war

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in wrenching

intensely or unbearably painful the harrowing amputations without any anesthetic that soldiers and sailors once were forced to endure

Synonyms & Similar Words

harrowing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of harrow

as in plaguing

to cause persistent suffering to the villagers were gaunt and sickly, harrowed by years of disease and starvation

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of harrowing

Adjective

Now, Mohammed Ali Naqvi (Netflix’s Turning Point, Showtime’s Shame) has turned the harrowing ordeal into Hanging by a Wire, a feature documentary that premiered at Sundance. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2026 Another time, Coburn had a harrowing interaction with an elephant while out filming for Painteddog’s YouTube safaris. — Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2026 Welcome back to the Times of Troy newsletter, where I am thrilled to be writing to you today after a harrowing couple of weeks at the Kartje household. — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026 In a new excerpt published by People, the late actor recalled a harrowing moment with his daughter. — Juliana Ukiomogbe, InStyle, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for harrowing

Recent Examples of Synonyms for harrowing

Adjective

Some things are too painful for words, and Crystal knows that sense cannot be made from senselessness.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Once people expect benefits, cutting them off is politically painful.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of painful

Adjective

Richard Ables guided families through one of life’s most wrenching rituals at the historic Hall Brothers Funeral Home.

— Paul Schwartzman, Washington Post, 4 Oct. 2026
After a quiet episode focused on Hal Jordan’s passing, Lanterns’s penultimate chapter deepens the mystery in surprising and wrenching ways.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of wrenching

Verb

The 21 states fully running their own marketplaces generally have more robust fraud prevention programs, such as multifactor authentication, and have reported few or none of the kinds of unauthorized sign-ups plaguing the federal marketplace.

— Julie Appleby, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026
The 21 states fully running their own marketplaces generally have more robust fraud prevention programs and have reported few or none of the kinds of unauthorized sign-ups plaguing the federal marketplace.

— Julie Appleby, NPR, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of plaguing

Adjective

But genuinely funny moments are rare, badly outnumbered by done-to-death musings regarding the mysteries of being alive and torturous melodramatic moments in which Klara dully absorbs the severity of Josie’s illness and Chrissy’s sorrow.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
The visits come as Republicans are gearing up for a potentially torturous election cycle amid broad voter dissatisfaction on a slew of issues, including the economy, war with Iran and Trump himself.

— Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of torturous

Verb

Singh and Jaggseer, like Beyoncé and Lil Nas X before them, highlight an identity crisis afflicting modern country music.

— Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026
The work continues and the Frates family has maintained the passion that Pete instilled in them in fighting the disease that is still afflicting far too many people.

— Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of afflicting

Adjective

Participants fell into their roles a little too well and, after a prisoner rebellion, increasingly cruel forms of punishment from the guards and a number of students suffering mental breakdowns, the experiment was ended on the sixth day.

— Marlow Stern, Variety, 25 Oct. 2026
But these townswomen — whether the undersexed Bakerwoman (Ella Bruccoleri ) or the prim, cruel busybody the Tailor’s Wife (a deliciously scheming Elizabeth Debicki) — are deeply unhappy with their own lot in life.

— Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of cruel

Adjective

Many of those wins have been agonizing for the Bears to endure like when TCU upset a top-10 Baylor squad in 2021 or when the Horned Frogs scored a walk-off field goal the very next season in Waco to keep their undefeated season alive.

— Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026
In her book, Dawood writes about an investigator telling her not to go down the agonizing road of hindsight.

— Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of agonizing

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“Harrowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harrowing. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of harrowing

adjective

verb

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