Tortuous or Torturous?

What Is the Difference between "Tortuous" and "Torturous"?

Tortuous

The adjective tortuous describes something with repeated twists or turns.

Examples:

• In cities like Athens, poor houses lined narrow and tortuous streets in spite of luxurious public buildings. (Stephen Gardiner)
• The path to the referendum promises to be tortuous. (New York Times)

Torturous

The adjective torturous describes something that involves suffering or pain.

Examples:

• Jealousy would be far less torturous if we understood that love is a passion entirely unrelated to our merits. (Paul Eldridge)
• Life's experiences, whether they be torturous or excruciatingly wonderful, season you somehow and you learn from them. (Mel Gibson)

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