harrowing

1 of 2

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

harrowing

2 of 2

present participle of harrow entry 1, harrow entry 3

Synonyms of harrowing

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Adjective

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Examples of harrowing in a Sentence

Adjective 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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Adjective
Without recounting every amusing or harrowing detail, a good deal of interactive psychological grilling ensued. — Chris Willman, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026 Reporting from Gulf Breeze, Florida Jayme Mitich and her 13-year-old daughter, Jeweliana Jackson, survived a harrowing night as strong winds from Hurricane Isaias partially ripped the roof off their second-story apartment. — Erika Angulo, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2026 Their second meeting takes a harrowing turn when Audrey suffers a miscarriage on Eli’s doorstep. — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2026 Regev directly countered Piker's claims about the October 7 attacks by delivering a harrowing eyewitness account of her captivity in Gaza. — Staff, FOXNews.com, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for harrowing

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from present participle of harrow entry 3

First Known Use

Adjective

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 14 Oct. 2026.

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