Harrowing
Harrowing adjective - Hard to accept or bear especially emotionally.
Usage example: a harrowing portrayal of the ravages of war
Painful is a synonym for harrowing in distressing topic. In some cases you can use "Painful" instead an adjective "Harrowing", when it comes to topics like agonizing, dangerous, excruciating. popular alternative
Painful
Painful adjective - Hard to accept or bear especially emotionally.
Usage example: it's been very painful to accept that my father is gone forever
Harrowing is a synonym for painful in distressing topic. You can use "Harrowing" instead an adjective "Painful", if it concerns topics such as agonizing, excruciating, physically or mentally agonizing. popular alternative
Mutual synonyms
Related pairs
- disturbing and harrowing
- disturbing and painful
- unpleasant and harrowing
- unpleasant and painful
- difficult and harrowing
- difficult and painful
- agonizing and harrowing
- agonizing and painful
- severe and harrowing
- severe and painful
- grievous and harrowing
- grievous and painful
- terrible and harrowing
- terrible and painful
Both words in one sentence
- Even in later novels we're never told what happened except that it was a very harrowing and painful experience that happened over several days.
Cite this Source
Painful and Harrowing. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/harrowing/painful
Harrowing & Painful. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/harrowing/painful>.
Painful or Harrowing. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/harrowing/painful.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "harrowing" and "painful" have occurred on timeline