harrowing
/ˈhæɹəʊiŋ/verb
To cause someone deep distress or fear; to disturb badly.
Example sentence
- “The memories of the shipwreck harrowed him for years afterward.”
As an adjective it means deeply distressing to experience or hear: a harrowing escape, a harrowing account. From the harrow, a spiked farm tool dragged over soil.