1
as in nightmare
a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness
it's torture for me to see you so unhappy
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Literary Hub, 15 May 2026
Jakes confessed to acting as the lookout during the killing, but prosecutors threw out his charges in 2018 after the torture commission found credible evidence of coercion by Boudreau and Detective Michael Kill.
—Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
Todd Feurer, CBS News, 14 May 2026
Apparently, their definition of resistance is to gang rape as many women and men of all ages as possible before torturing, mutilating and murdering them.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for torture
Noun
Of course, such a peaceful experience can seem impossible when one’s eyes and bones and skull ache deeply during another night spent in the torture chamber (aka the bed), yet surrendering to fate really is all there is.
—Literary Hub, 15 May 2026
Jakes confessed to acting as the lookout during the killing, but prosecutors threw out his charges in 2018 after the torture commission found credible evidence of coercion by Boudreau and Detective Michael Kill.
—Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
Verb
In 2017, the Illinois Torture Inquiry and Relief Commission determined ther was credible evidence that Day was tortured into a false confession.
—Todd Feurer, CBS News, 14 May 2026
Apparently, their definition of resistance is to gang rape as many women and men of all ages as possible before torturing, mutilating and murdering them.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for torture
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torture
Noun
-
The Los Angeles Dodgers could face a massive PR nightmare from LA vegans as star pitcher Edwin Diaz finds himself at the center of a federal animal cruelty scandal.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
-
Brutal start for Ducks The first period was an absolute nightmare for the Ducks.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Kirby, screaming in agony, was on his knees as officers ordered him to drop a knife, according to video.—
David K. Li,
NBC news,
15 May 2026
-
The sight of a heart-and-soul player in agony on the ice, then being helped off it — by captain Marie-Philip Poulin, Stacey’s wife — was a shock.—
Hailey Salvian,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Despite that underlying tension, kids play on the street outside while the large family has a dynamic like any other — noisily squabbling, joking, or in the case of the matriarchal grandmother, Mariam (Hiam Abbass), preparing a meal in a kitchen plagued by constant utility outages.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
-
That's still an incredible class, especially considering the doldrums that have plagued the UCLA football program for the past decade plus.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
The body does not care about your percentile ranking when the anatomy is distorted, the bleeding starts, and the room becomes quiet.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2026
-
Employers know—or should know—that personal relationships can distort workplace decision making, even when no one intends them to.—
William Phillips,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
The parallels between Ines’ dilemma and that of a nation being asked to lick its wounds in silence — in the name of moving on from past miseries — are present but elusive.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
14 May 2026
-
There are fun bad teams, or teams that at least make a unique bonding experience out of their specific type of misery.—
Hanif Abdurraqib,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Is rapid weight gain the cause of the patient’s distress?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
Developer John Dewberry bought the building out of distress in 2010 for $36 million.—
Savannah Sicurella,
AJC.com,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
My parents were supporters of the anti-apartheid movement and various family members were persecuted for being so also.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
14 May 2026
-
When hunted, poisoned, and persecuted, the coyotes scattered and regrouped, their numbers surging a hundred-fold.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Center lids on jars and screw bands fingertip tight (just until resistance is met).—
Kelly Brant,
Arkansas Online,
12 May 2026
-
Put the stopper back in the sink before re-screwing the pivot nut, horizontal rod, and sliding your under sink items back into place.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Torture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torture. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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