harrowing (adj.)
- acute
- afflictive
- agonizing
- alarming
- atrocious
- biting
- chilling
- consuming
- cruel
- daunting
- disconcerting
- dismaying
- disquieting
- distressing
- disturbing
- excruciating
- frightening
- grave
- hard
- harsh
- heartbreaking
- heartrending
- horrible
- horrifying
- hurtful
- nerve-racking
- painful
- paroxysmal
- piercing
- poignant
- pungent
- racking
- rending
- severe
- sharp
- shooting
- spasmodic
- stabbing
- stinging
- tearing
- terrifying
- torturing
- torturous
- traumatic
- upsetting
- vexing
- worrisome
- worrying
