Tortuous means full of twists and turns, like a winding mountain road that curves back and forth as it climbs upward.

A tortuous path through a forest might loop around trees, double back on itself, and zigzag up hillsides. A river can take a tortuous route, meandering through the landscape instead of flowing straight. When you trace a tortuous line with your finger, you follow curves and bends rather than a direct path.

The word also describes something complicated and indirect. A tortuous explanation takes forever to get to the point, circling around the main idea instead of stating it clearly. A tortuous legal argument might wind through dozens of technicalities before reaching a conclusion.

Don't confuse tortuous with torturous, which means causing pain or suffering. A tortuous hike is full of switchbacks and curves. A torturous hike is so difficult or unpleasant that it feels like torture. They sound similar but mean different things: one is about twisting paths, the other is about painful experiences.