English Meaning & Definitions
Acutely distressing, terrifying, or inspiring a feeling of profound fear or shock.
- “The refugees shared harrowing accounts of their dangerous sea crossing.”
- “She had a harrowing experience when she got lost in the wilderness for three days.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “harrowing”.
Derived from the verb 'harrow' (to plow or break up earth with a heavy farming implement called a harrow), originating from Old English 'hergian', meaning to ravage, plunder, or distress. Over time, the agricultural tool's action of tearing up the ground became metaphorically linked to tearing up one's emotions or peace of mind.
Think of a HAIRY ROW of sharp spikes on a farming tool tearing up the ground, just like a harrowing experience tears up your nerves.
Frequently Asked Questions About “harrowing”
1. What is the meaning of “harrowing” in English?
In English, harrowing (adjective) is defined as: “Acutely distressing, terrifying, or inspiring a feeling of profound fear or shock.”.
2. How do you use “harrowing” in a sentence?
“The refugees shared harrowing accounts of their dangerous sea crossing.”
3. What are English synonyms of “harrowing”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “harrowing”?
Derived from the verb 'harrow' (to plow or break up earth with a heavy farming implement called a harrow), originating from Old English 'hergian', meaning to ravage, plunder, or distress. Over time, the agricultural tool's action of tearing up the ground became metaphorically linked to tearing up one's emotions or peace of mind.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
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A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.