Excruciating/ɪkˈskruːʃieɪtɪŋ/ Definition 1 of 3Pro Tip 1/3Intensity Level Indicates extreme, often unbearable, levels of pain. The patient described their headache as excruciating. Pro Tip 2/3Emotional Weight Used to express severe physical or emotional suffering. Hearing the tragic news was an excruciating experience. Pro Tip 3/3Beyond Ordinary More than just painful – it's so intense it's hardly bearable. His recovery from the surgery involved excruciating pain.