Words at Play : Top 10 Commonly Confused Words, Vol. 2
Question:
Is an overly-elaborate plan best described as torturous or tortuous?
Answer:
tortuous
How to remember it:
Torturous (with a second "r") really does suggest torture, the word
it comes from. It's reserved for things that are very unpleasant, painful, difficult, or slow.
But something that is tricky, complicated, or circuitous such as an overly elaborate plan is
tortuous. Think of twists and turns, and consider a related word: torque, which refers to a force
that causes something to rotate.