" excruciating "

1: intensely or unbearably painful;

  * e.g., " ... he finally visited the doctor when the pain became too excruciating to ignore "

•  Synonyms : 

•  agonizing,

•  harrowing,

•  racking,

•  raging,

•  tormenting,

•  torturing,

•  torturous,

•  wrenching

•  Antonyms : 

•  easy,

•  light,

•  soft

2: difficult to endure;

  * e.g., " ... the excruciating heat that the settlers faced as they crossed the deserts of the Southwest "

•  Synonyms : 

•  bitter,

•  brutal,

•  burdensome,

•  cruel,

•  grievous,

•  grim,

•  hard,

•  hardhanded,

•  harsh,

•  heavy,

•  inhuman,

•  murderous,

•  onerous,

•  oppressive,

•  rough,

•  rugged,

•  searing,

•  severe,

•  stiff,

•  tough,

•  trying

•  Antonyms : 

•  gratifying,

•  pleasing,

•  sweet

3: hard to accept or bear especially emotionally;

  * e.g., " ... most excruciating of all was the endless wait for news of any survivors of the plane crash "

•  Synonyms : 

•  afflicting,

•  agonizing,

•  bitter,

•  cruel,

•  galling,

•  grievous,

•  harrowing,

•  harsh,

•  heartrending,

•  hurtful,

•  painful,

•  tormenting,

•  torturous

•  Antonyms : 

•  light,

•  moderate,

•  soft

1: to cause persistent suffering to;

  * e.g., " ... she has long been excruciated by an undiagnosed pain in her knee "

•  Synonyms : 

•  afflicting,

•  agonizing,

•  anguishing,

•  bedeviling,

•  besetting,

•  besieging,

•  cursing,

•  harrowing,

•  persecuting,

•  plaguing,

•  racking,

•  tormenting,

•  torturing

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)

1: to cause persistent suffering to;

  * e.g., " ... she has long been excruciated by an undiagnosed pain in her knee "

•  Synonyms : 

•  afflict,

•  agonize,

•  anguish,

•  bedevil,

•  beset,

•  besiege,

•  curse,

•  harrow,

•  persecute,

•  plague,

•  rack,

•  torment,

•  torture

•  Antonyms : 

• (N/A)