Their breasts erect they rear amid the deep, / their blood-red crests above the surface shine, / their hinder parts along the waters sweep, / trailed in huge coils and many a tortuous twine.
Source: tatoeba (6814581)
Tortuous
/ˈtɔːt͡ʃuːəs/
Synonyms for "tortuous" (168 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (34)
Adjective(5 words)
affectedambagiousambiguousanamorphousanfractuousaskewasymmetricasymmetricalbedizenedbentbig-soundingbillowingbillowybowedcircuitouscircularcircumlocutorycockeyedcomplicatedcontorted
Show 7 more words
Noun(1 words)
Verb(1 words)
Strong matches (50)
Related words (84)
intricateinvoluteinvolutedinvolutionalinvolvedirregularjohnsonianlabyrinthinelexiphanicloftylopsidedluridmagniloquentmazymeanderingmeandrousmeretriciousmisleadingnonsymmetricone sided
Show 53 more words
one-sidedorotundostentatiousoverdoneoverelaborateoverinvolvedoverwroughtpedanticpompouspretentiousramblingrecurvaterecurvatedrecurvedrecurvingrhetoricalrivoserivuloseroundaboutruffledsensationalsensationalisticsententiousserpentineshowysigmoidsinuatesinuosesinuoussnakysonoroussprungstiltedtalltorsionaltortiletrickyturningtwistedtwistingtwistyundulantunstraightforwardunsymmetricunsymmetricalwanderingwarpedwavywhorledwindingwreathlikewreathyzigzag
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: convoluted, twisting, winding, affected, ambagious.
- Sentence evidence is available for tortuous, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "tortuous".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "tortuous"
Keep "tortuous" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "tortuous" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "tortuous", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "tortuous" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
2 entriesdescriptive termqualitative descriptor
More specific
6 entriescircuitous argumentlaborious procedurelabyrinthine corridorlengthy explanationmeandering pathserpentine river
Collocations
6 entriestortuous argumenttortuous explanationtortuous pathtortuous processtortuous reasoningtortuous route
Inflections
2 entriesmore tortuousmost tortuous
Derivations
3 entriessimilar
3 entriesSample sentences
10 total sentences available.
After three and-a-half years of tortuous negotiations and political chaos, Britain will officially leave the European Union at 11 o’clock in the evening London time Friday.
Source: tatoeba (8500875)
After three-and-a-half years of tortuous negotiations and political chaos that forced the resignation of two prime ministers, Britain will officially leave the European Union at 11:00 p.m. London time Friday.
Source: tatoeba (8500886)
Learning spelling in English is more tortuous than in other languages. Children suffer in hidden ways.
Source: tatoeba (10372270)
Showing 4 of 10 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "tortuous"?
Closest matches include convoluted, twisting, winding, affected, ambagious.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "tortuous"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.