# racked

/ˈɹækt/ (US) · /ɹˈækt/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/racked
Updated: 2026-05-11

## Definition

feeling a lot of physical or mental pain. You use this when something is very difficult or stressful to deal with.

For teachers: suffering from extreme physical or mental distress. Often used in the passive voice or as a participial adjective to describe a state of intense suffering or effort.

## Examples

- He was racked with guilt after the accident.
- The athlete's body was racked by exhaustion after she completed the mountain marathon.
- The small nation was racked by internal conflict for decades before a stable peace treaty was finally negotiated by international mediators.

## Pitfalls

- Not "wracked with pain" but "racked with pain" — While 'wracked' is increasingly common, 'racked' is the traditional spelling for being stretched or tortured by pain or effort.

## Usage notes

- Commonly pairs with the preposition 'with' or 'by' to indicate the cause of the distress.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.