Harrowing Meaning in English
word
Definition
Extremely distressing or upsetting; causing great emotional pain or fear.
Usage & Nuances
Formal or literary; describes very distressing experiences, not mild discomfort. Common with 'experience', 'ordeal', 'story', 'account'. Not used for minor or physical annoyances.
Spanish: angustiante - desgarradorPortuguese (BR): angustiante - aterrorizantePortuguese (PT): angustiante - aterradorChinese (Simplified): 痛苦的 - 令人揪心的Chinese (Traditional): 痛苦的 - 令人揪心的Hindi: दिल दहला देने वाला - दर्दनाकArabic: مروع - مؤلمBengali: মর্মান্তিক - মর্মভেদীRussian: душераздирающий - мучительныйJapanese: 痛ましい - 悲惨なVietnamese: đầy đau đớn - gây ám ảnhKorean: 참혹한 - 충격적인Turkish: dehşet verici - sarsıcıUrdu: دل خراش - کرب ناکIndonesian: mencekam - memilukan
Example Sentences
Reading about his journey was a harrowing experience.
natural
He gave a harrowing account of what happened during the war.
natural
The movie was a harrowing story of survival.
basic
She shared her harrowing experience during the storm.
basic
The rescue team went through a harrowing ordeal.
basic
That was a truly harrowing night—we thought we'd never get out.
natural