ex·cru·ci·at·ing

[ik-skroo-shee-ey-ting]
adjective
1.
extremely painful; causing intense suffering; unbearably distressing; torturing: an excruciating noise; excruciating pain.
2.
exceedingly elaborate or intense; extreme: done with excruciating care.

Origin:
1655–65; excruciate + -ing2

ex·cru·ci·at·ing·ly, adverb
un·ex·cru·ci·at·ing, adjective


1. unbearable, insufferable, unendurable, agonizing, racking.
Dictionary.com Unabridged

ex·cru·ci·ate

[ik-skroo-shee-eyt]
verb (used with object), ex·cru·ci·at·ed, ex·cru·ci·at·ing.
1.
to inflict severe pain upon; torture: The headache excruciated him.
2.
to cause mental anguish to; irritate greatly.

Origin:
1560–70; < Latin excruciātus, past participle of excruciāre to torment, torture, equivalent to ex- ex-1 + cruciāre to torment, crucify (derivative of crux cross); see -ate1

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To excruciating
00:10
Excruciating is always a great word to know.
So is slumgullion. Does it mean:
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.
Collins
World English Dictionary
excruciate (ɪkˈskruːʃɪˌeɪt) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
vb
1.  to inflict mental suffering on; torment
2.  obsolete to inflict physical pain on; torture
 
[C16: from Latin excruciāre, from cruciāre to crucify, from crux cross]
 
excruci'ation
 
n

excruciating (ɪkˈskruːʃɪˌeɪtɪŋ) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
adj
1.  unbearably painful; agonizing
2.  intense; extreme: he took excruciating pains to do it well
3.  informal irritating; trying
4.  jocular very bad: an excruciating pun
 
ex'cruciatingly
 
adv

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

excruciate
1560s, from L. excruciatus, pp. of excruciare "to torture, torment," from ex- "out, thoroughly" + cruciare "cause pain or anguish to," lit. "crucify," from crux (gen. crucis) "cross." Related: Excruciating; excruciatingly.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Her work is heartbreaking, at times excruciating to read, but it rings with
  authenticity.
If that's the case, then this must be an excruciating development for the whole
  family.
The suspense is excruciating.
The worm eventually pushes its way out of the skin, causing an excruciating
  burning sensation.
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