Tortuous

Pronunciation: /ˈtɔːrtʃuəs/

Definitions of tortuous

adjective adjective describes a noun or pronoun, in this case 'tortuous' describes something full of twists and turns, complex or convoluted

Example Sentences

A1 The tortuous path through the forest was difficult for the beginner hiker.

A2 The instructions for assembling the furniture were tortuous and confusing.

B1 The legal process can be tortuous, with many steps and procedures to follow.

B2 The negotiations between the two countries were long and tortuous, but eventually led to a peaceful resolution.

C1 The author's writing style is known for its tortuous complexity, challenging even the most experienced readers.

C2 The political debate was filled with tortuous arguments and counterarguments, making it hard to follow the discussion.

Examples of tortuous in a Sentence

formal The tortuous path through the forest made it difficult to reach the other side.

informal The tortuous route to the beach took us twice as long as we expected.

slang That tortuous math problem was a real brain-buster.

figurative Her tortuous journey to self-discovery was filled with twists and turns.

Grammatical Forms of tortuous

• past tense: tortured
• plural: tortuous
• comparative: more tortuous
• superlative: most tortuous
• present tense: tortures
• future tense: will torture
• perfect tense: have tortured
• continuous tense: is torturing
• singular: tortuous
• positive degree: tortuous
• infinitive: to torture
• gerund: torturing
• participle: torturing

Origin and Evolution of tortuous

First Known Use: 1565 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'tortuous' originated from the Latin word 'tortuosus', which means full of twists and turns.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'tortuous' has retained its original meaning of twisted or winding, but it has also come to be used metaphorically to describe something that is excessively complicated or convoluted.