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Definition of "excruciate" [ex•cru•ci•ate]

  • To inflict severe pain on; torture. (verb-transitive)
  • To inflict great mental distress on. (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "excruciate" in a sentence
  • "Fenway Park is our, to coin a word, excruciate -- something anyone who witnessed those extra-inning classics against the Yankees will instantly understand."
  • "Her presence used to excruciate Osborne; but go she would upon all parties of pleasure on which she heard her young friends were bent."
  • ""You didn't excruciate my wrist so like time!" groaned Bill."