excruciating
UK: /ɪkˈskruːʃieɪtɪŋ/ | US: /ɪkˈskruːʃieɪtɪŋ/
adj. causing intense physical or mental pain; extremely painful or distressing.
The word "excruciating" derives from Latin excruciare, meaning "to torture" or "to torment thoroughly." The root cruci comes from crux (cross), referencing the extreme pain associated with crucifixion. Over time, the term evolved in English to describe any intensely painful experience, whether physical or emotional. The prefix ex- intensifies the meaning, emphasizing completeness or extremity.
The patient described the headache as excruciating.
She felt an excruciating sadness after the loss.
The wait for the test results was excruciating.
His excruciating honesty made the conversation difficult.
The athlete pushed through the excruciating pain to finish the race.