as in tortured
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as in plagued
to cause persistent suffering to
he was tormented by nightmares about the accident
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Recent Examples of tormented
Editorial, Boston Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
When pressured during the NFC Championship Game, Darnold completed 5-of-11 passes for 102 yards and three touchdowns, per Next Gen Stats, against the same Rams front that tormented him last year.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
For his work as the brilliant but deeply tormented London detective Luther, Elba won a Critics’ Choice Television Award, as well as a Golden Globe and a SAG Award.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 4 Feb. 2026
James’ 2020 debut feature, Relic — a slow-burn chiller about three generations of women tormented by a presence in the family home — worked because the director never allowed her control of the material to slacken, even when the narrative was stretched a bit thin.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
Essie Davis plays Amelia, who struggles to raise her 6-year-old son, Sam (Noah Wiseman), as he's tormented by the titular humanoid storybook monster.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
Bishop is clearly still tormented by his role in convicting the men.
—Beandrea July, IndieWire, 29 Jan. 2026
Not because the full-court press tormented the Longhorns — Texas (11-7, 2-3 SEC) only turned the ball over eight times.
—David Eckert, Houston Chronicle, 18 Jan. 2026
Not because the full-court press tormented the Longhorns — Texas (11-7, 2-3 SEC) only turned the ball over eight times.
—David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 17 Jan. 2026
Verb
His captors tormented him by saying that his family didn’t care about him.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
When pressured during the NFC Championship Game, Darnold completed 5-of-11 passes for 102 yards and three touchdowns, per Next Gen Stats, against the same Rams front that tormented him last year.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
For his work as the brilliant but deeply tormented London detective Luther, Elba won a Critics’ Choice Television Award, as well as a Golden Globe and a SAG Award.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 4 Feb. 2026
James’ 2020 debut feature, Relic — a slow-burn chiller about three generations of women tormented by a presence in the family home — worked because the director never allowed her control of the material to slacken, even when the narrative was stretched a bit thin.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
Essie Davis plays Amelia, who struggles to raise her 6-year-old son, Sam (Noah Wiseman), as he's tormented by the titular humanoid storybook monster.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Jan. 2026
Bishop is clearly still tormented by his role in convicting the men.
—Beandrea July, IndieWire, 29 Jan. 2026
Not because the full-court press tormented the Longhorns — Texas (11-7, 2-3 SEC) only turned the ball over eight times.
—David Eckert, Houston Chronicle, 18 Jan. 2026
Not because the full-court press tormented the Longhorns — Texas (11-7, 2-3 SEC) only turned the ball over eight times.
—David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 17 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tormented
Adjective
-
The show, which was previously called Maud and has rolled cameras in London, is based on the short story collections by Swedish writer Helene Tursten and follows Maud Oldcastle, an old killer with a tortured past.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
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According to Deadline, Charli will be possessed by a violent, tortured spirit in director Takashi Miike’s upcoming untitled slasher-horror film that is scheduled to start filming in Japan next month; the role was previously reported, but the details about the plot are new.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Staffing shortages have plagued the grocery industry since the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Francesca Pica,
jsonline.com,
10 Feb. 2026
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Exploding power lines evoked the electrical outages that have plagued Puerto Rico in recent years.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Erica Moore, 46, who spent 11 nights in a hotel with her dog and two cats, said she was most frustrated by the poor communication from Nashville Electric Service.—
Bracey Harris,
NBC news,
5 Feb. 2026
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Still, the optics are deeply damaging for an already frustrated king and the Prince of Wales, multiple royal experts told Fox News Digital.—
Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Secret Agent’s primary setting is a house full of misfits and refugees in the northeastern city of Recife, a safe harbor from those persecuted by the country’s military regime, ruled over by the inimitable Dona Sebastiana (Tânia Maria, whose role was written specifically for her).—
Nate Jones,
Vulture,
6 Feb. 2026
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Trump has promised to help rescue the country’s persecuted protesters as thousands died.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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When teachers became the complaint Several cases described teachers discussing their own political views on the latest Israel-Hamas war in ways that state investigators said foreseeably made Jewish students feel uncomfortable, harassed or targeted.—
Molly Gibbs,
Mercury News,
12 Jan. 2026
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The Broncos beat up, bruised, harassed and downright punished Herbert from the start.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Embarrassment could have been a factor in the rash decision, but Trump is not a man who appears to be afflicted by that particular emotion, which takes its cue from a certain amount of self-awareness and humility.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
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Thus, taxpayers are often stuck financing underperforming government programs riddled with waste and outright fraud, as was the case in the recent $30 billion scandal that afflicted the state’s unemployment insurance program.—
Lanhee J. Chen,
Mercury News,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Adams administration was besieged with corruption at every level—the Blackness of the perpetrators was of no solace.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Feb. 2026
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Meanwhile, Don Lemon also enjoyed a standing ovation and was besieged by people all night to express their gratitude and support after he was arrested and charged for an anti-ICE protest just two days before.—
Rob LeDonne,
Rolling Stone,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Martin, 52, is the harried face of this meek resistance.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
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O’Hara found her highest-profile role in Home Alone (1990), as a harried suburban mom who accidentally abandons her 8-year-old son.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tormented.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tormented. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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