EXCRUCIATION Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

excruciation

noun

Definition of excruciation

as in agony

a state of great suffering of body or mind had never experienced such excruciation as when he contracted shingles

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for excruciation

Noun

Bugs Bunny jams himself against the edge and grits his teeth in agony.

— Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
The striking bronze sculpture depicts an outstretched arm reaching to the sky as hundreds of small human figures cling to it and each other with expressions of agony.

— Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of agony

Noun

Its movements and squeaks change in response to the person interacting with it, giving caregivers another way to reduce distress and encourage engagement.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
He was found kneeling in front of a piano and striking the keys, in apparent distress.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of distress

Noun

For a dressier option, the Franco Sarto Loran Slides are heralded by a Travel+Leisure writer who recently wore them all over Europe with zero foot pain.

— Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2026
The hospital basically told me to get over it and sleep it off but the pain was traumatic physically and mentally.

— Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of pain

Noun

Jordan, to whom scorn comes more naturally than grace, accuses him of envying the rest of the troupe’s ennobling misery.

— Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Some residents said hope is elusive given the island’s litany of miseries – from natural disasters to a bankrupt government to a financial control board that manages funding for infrastructure.

— Isabel Rosales, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of misery

Noun

For Alex’s family, those seven months have done little to dull the anguish over what happened to him — or their determination to see the two officers who fired the shots held responsible.

— Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
Some say there is a fine line between anguish or sadness — and laughter.

— Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of anguish

Noun

King seemed stranded in a faraway world, tortured by a discomfort that no amount of affection could soothe.

— Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
Bidets may also ease discomfort from hemorrhoids, fistulas and anal fissures, and help people with chronic diarrhea or conditions that require frequent wiping.

— Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of discomfort

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

excruciating

excruciation

excruciations

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Excruciation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/excruciation. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of excruciation

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

matriculate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes