1
as in nightmare
a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness
it's torture for me to see you so unhappy
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2
as in agony
a state of great suffering of body or mind
spent an afternoon in torture waiting to hear whether her brother had made it home safely
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1
as in to plague
to cause persistent suffering to
the neighbor's dog constantly tortures our cat, barking at him and chasing him down the street
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2
as in to distort
to twist (something) out of a natural or normal shape or condition
tortured her naturally straight hair into curls
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of torture
Annika Pham, Variety, 14 Feb. 2025
Troops were ordered to fight in areas where the enemy often disappeared into local populations, and war-crimes scandals, including the torture of prisoners at Abu Ghraib and the massacres in Haditha and Kandahar, weighed heavily on the public perception of the military.
—Dexter Filkins, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
Doc Louallen, ABC News, 4 Feb. 2025
She was said to have tortured hundreds of girls and women and bathe in the blood of her victims, though the veracity of these claims have been questioned by historians.
—Hannah Malach, WWD, 4 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for torture
Noun
Over six months, the office turned into a hub for nearly 20 hardcore criminals, bikers and gang members, as well as high-flying lawyers, businessmen and major contractors, all involved in tax fraud, disposal of contaminated soil, money laundering and sometimes even torture of informants.
—Verb
According to police, Michael was tortured by the men.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for torture
Noun
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Marshmallow centers on Morgan (played by Kue Lawrence), an introverted 12-year-old suffering from nightmares who heads to a secluded summer camp.—
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Different batteries and chargers and hookups and other details make for a logistical nightmare, Defense News reported in 2022.—
Noun
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The woman continued to experience abdominal pain for years after her procedure, but the source of the agony could not be explained by her doctors, the lawsuit said.—
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As Dieter screamed in agony, Kier fled to the waterfall to escape the sound.—
Verb
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Also Read ‘Becoming Led Zeppelin’ Doc Soars into Wide Release Osbourne, 76, has been plagued with health problems since his last proper concerts in 2018 and is currently unable to walk.—
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However, the animals have been plagued by disease, habitat loss and other challenges.—
Verb
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Thereafter, the appearance of a triangle will become increasingly distorted until finally on April 9, Mars, Pollux and Castor will again appear in a straight line.—
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In that way, uncertainty is like a tax, distorting decisions and making the economy as a whole less efficient.—
Noun
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Isn’t a life without mountains of money better than a life monopolized by misery?—
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The act led to retaliatory tariffs by other countries and is widely seen as exacerbating the economic misery of the Depression.—
Noun
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Yarden appeared to be in extreme distress in the video and was very likely speaking under duress.—
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While the civil lawsuit filed by Petito's parents accused them of withholding information and causing emotional distress, no criminal charges were brought against them.—
Verb
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However, the camp also claimed the lives of many Poles, Roma, Soviet prisoners of war, LGBTQ individuals, and others persecuted under Nazi racial ideology.—
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Long persecuted minority The predominately Muslim Uyghurs are a distinct ethnic minority from Xinjiang, a massive, nominally autonomous region in the far west of China.—
Noun
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Partying, a torment of longing Sweet reunions set the heart alight Falling in love is thrilling yet scary As the hart lifts to new heights. — Rachel Quinn Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn.—
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The national gloom stems from something deeper, specifically the torment of a supposedly cohering national story about opportunity that is encoded in culture, policy, and civic life.—
Cite this Entry
“Torture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torture. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
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