Excruciating
/ɪkˈskruːʃieɪtɪŋ/
adjectiveC1
Definition
Excruciating describes something that causes very intense pain or suffering. It is often used for physical pain, like a bad injury, but can also describe emotional pain, like deep sadness or embarrassment. The word shows that the pain or feeling is much stronger than normal.
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See It in Action
Causing very strong physical pain
- •She felt excruciating pain after breaking her leg.
- •The toothache was excruciating and kept him awake all night.
- •He described the injury as excruciating and almost impossible to bear.
Causing very strong emotional pain or distress
- •Waiting for the test results was an excruciating experience.
- •The loss of her pet was excruciating for many weeks.
- •It was excruciating to watch the sad movie about family problems.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "excruciating" like "painful" (A1 word), but MUCH stronger and almost unbearable
- ✓Picture someone holding their head tightly because of a very bad headache that won’t stop
- ✓It’s the feeling when you get a very bad cut or when you lose something very important and feel very upset
- ✓Sounds like "ex-CRU-shiating" → imagine a cross ("cru") making the pain worse and worse
- ✓Think of stories or movies where characters suffer very strong pain or sadness that is hard to forget
- ✓NOT like "hurt" (which can be small or mild), excruciating means the pain or feeling is extreme and hard to handle
- ✓NOT like "discomfort" (mild pain or uneasiness), excruciating is very strong and almost unbearable
- ✓NOT like "annoying" (small irritation), excruciating is serious and intense
Try Other Words
- •Agonizing: causing great pain or suffering (Use when emphasizing mental or physical suffering that feels very hard to bear)
- •Intense: very strong or extreme (Use when focusing on the strength or degree of pain or feeling, not just pain itself)
- •Severe: very bad or serious (Use when describing strong pain or conditions, often in medical or formal contexts)
- •Torturous: like torture, very painful or difficult (Use when emphasizing long-lasting or very harsh pain or experience)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: ex- (out of, very strong) + cruci- (from Latin "crux" meaning cross, symbol for suffering) + -ating (adjective ending showing action or quality)
- •Etymology: From Latin "excruciare" meaning "to torment on a cross," showing extreme pain or suffering
- •Historical development: Originally used to describe physical torture on a cross, later extended to mean any very intense pain or suffering
- •Modern usage: Used to describe very strong physical or emotional pain, often in everyday speech and writing to emphasize how bad something feels
Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a time when you felt excruciating pain or sadness? How did you describe it to others?
•How does the word excruciating help us understand the difference between mild discomfort and very strong suffering?
Fill in the blanks
1.The excruciating pain in his leg made it ___ for him to walk or stand.
2.She felt excruciating sadness because she had to ___ her best friend moving away.
3.Unlike normal headaches, excruciating headaches often ___ people to seek immediate help.
4.When the injury was excruciating, the doctor advised ___ pain medicine right away.
5.Excruciating pain is much stronger than ___ pain and usually needs special treatment.
6.The silence during the exam was excruciating because everyone was ___ about their results.
7.After the accident, the patient described the pain as excruciating and said it ___ through his whole body.