adjective

tortuous

TOR-choo-uhs

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Tortuous (adjective) means having many twists and turns, or, figuratively, needlessly long and complicated. Example: “The tortuous mountain road made everyone in the car feel sick.”

adjective

Having many twists and turns, or, figuratively, needlessly long and complicated.

"The tortuous mountain road made everyone in the car feel sick."

"It was a tortuous process to get the paperwork approved."

"Her explanation took a tortuous route before reaching the point."

How to use tortuous

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishFull of twists and turns, or annoyingly long-winded and complicated.

When to use it

Tortuous carries a negative tone and suits formal or descriptive writing about complicated processes or winding routes.

Memory tip

Check you mean winding and complicated, not agonising, before choosing tortuous over torturous.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

torturous → tortious →

Common pairings

a tortuous process a tortuous route tortuous negotiations a tortuous path

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Test yourself on “tortuous” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The _____ mountain road made everyone in the car feel sick.

Etymology

Tortuous entered English through Middle English from Anglo-Norman and Old French, and ultimately from the Latin tortuosus, which is built on tortus, meaning a twisting or winding.

Origin: English

Rhymes for tortuous

yous nous heinous ominous curious anxious copious tenuous unctuous spurious infamous venomous

See all rhymes for tortuous →

Frequently asked questions

What does tortuous mean?

It describes something with many twists and turns, whether a physical path or a drawn-out, complicated process.

Is tortuous the same as torturous?

No, they are often confused because they sound alike, but tortuous means winding or overly complicated, while torturous means agonising.

Is tortuous the same word as tortious?

No, tortious is a separate legal term meaning something that constitutes a civil wrong, and it is unrelated in meaning to tortuous.

What is the meaning of tortuous?

"tortuous" (adjective) means having many twists and turns, or, figuratively, needlessly long and complicated.