as in tormented
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1
as in persecuted
to cause persistent suffering to
the neighbor's dog constantly tortures our cat, barking at him and chasing him down the street
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in distorted
to twist (something) out of a natural or normal shape or condition
tortured her naturally straight hair into curls
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of tortured
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
26 June 2026
Superman pops in for a couple of cute scenes along the way, while another DC side character, the alien and bounty hunter Lobo (Jason Momoa), appears as a tortured bit of universe-building.
—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
26 June 2026
Hunter Biden is mixing it up with admirers and critics on social media, while Jill Biden is rehashing the tortured saga of the last presidential race in a new memoir.
—
ABC News,
6 June 2026
While staying faithful to the gothic tone and thrust of the story, the second book in the series once again turned the narrative in on itself by front-loading the perspective of chaos personified, Louis’ tortured and torturous lover, Lestat de Lioncourt.
—
Alex Zalben,
IndieWire,
3 June 2026
The track is bookended by audio of a woman who sells plasma to fund her shopping addiction, a parallel to Skeletrix’s depiction of his plight as a tortured artist.
—
Olivier Lafontant,
Pitchfork,
15 May 2026
While Naverrette flawlessly plays Nikki as being possessed by a sinister spirit who’s obsessed with Bear, her performance also includes tortured outbursts as the real Nikki sporadically breaks free from her subconscious to react in horror as her friend takes advantage of the situation.
—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
The report contains nearly 300 pages documenting mass rape, tortured families, mutilation of bodies and murder.
—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
14 May 2026
But it was denounced in others after a group of Iraqi artists pulled out of the show, protesting a French artist’s work that featured graphic images of tortured Abu Ghraib detainees.
—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
8 May 2026
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
5 July 2026
The actual abduction was committed, according to the feds, by supermarket owner Abu Chowdhury — who’s accused of heading a kidnapping ring that also snatched and tortured two men who crossed his vengeful wife, Iffat Lubna.
—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
4 July 2026
It’s loosely based on an actual Chilean colony where German expatriates tortured prisoners at the behest of General Pinochet.
—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 July 2026
The brutal nature of her murder—she was believed to have been tortured, and her body was cut in half and provocatively posed—helped spark a media frenzy.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
29 June 2026
This is just one in a sweaty dungeon of hundreds of TikTok videos that show women being stalked, grabbed, tortured, tossed to the ground, and handcuffed by scary masked soldiers.
—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
25 June 2026
Additionally, Protestant and Catholic clergy have been imprisoned or tortured.
—
Mark Temnycky,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
Investigators say Kelly routinely tied up and tortured Jor'Dynn and documented the abuse on her cellphone with photos and videos.
—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
And in today's world, with the advent of cyberbullying, thanks to every kid having a digital footprint, a child can be tortured without even seeing their bully face-to-face.
—
Sarah Scott,
Parents,
10 June 2026
Adjective
It’s held together beautifully by Bailey, who’s easy to root for as the tortured protagonist, and, as one half (along with her sister) of the musical duo Chloe x Halle, knows a thing or two about the musician’s plight.
—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
26 June 2026
Superman pops in for a couple of cute scenes along the way, while another DC side character, the alien and bounty hunter Lobo (Jason Momoa), appears as a tortured bit of universe-building.
—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
26 June 2026
Hunter Biden is mixing it up with admirers and critics on social media, while Jill Biden is rehashing the tortured saga of the last presidential race in a new memoir.
—
ABC News,
6 June 2026
While staying faithful to the gothic tone and thrust of the story, the second book in the series once again turned the narrative in on itself by front-loading the perspective of chaos personified, Louis’ tortured and torturous lover, Lestat de Lioncourt.
—
Alex Zalben,
IndieWire,
3 June 2026
The track is bookended by audio of a woman who sells plasma to fund her shopping addiction, a parallel to Skeletrix’s depiction of his plight as a tortured artist.
—
Olivier Lafontant,
Pitchfork,
15 May 2026
While Naverrette flawlessly plays Nikki as being possessed by a sinister spirit who’s obsessed with Bear, her performance also includes tortured outbursts as the real Nikki sporadically breaks free from her subconscious to react in horror as her friend takes advantage of the situation.
—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
The report contains nearly 300 pages documenting mass rape, tortured families, mutilation of bodies and murder.
—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
14 May 2026
But it was denounced in others after a group of Iraqi artists pulled out of the show, protesting a French artist’s work that featured graphic images of tortured Abu Ghraib detainees.
—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
8 May 2026
Verb
Walker was abducted, raped, tortured and murdered after attending a Valentine’s Day dance with her boyfriend.
—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
5 July 2026
The actual abduction was committed, according to the feds, by supermarket owner Abu Chowdhury — who’s accused of heading a kidnapping ring that also snatched and tortured two men who crossed his vengeful wife, Iffat Lubna.
—
John Annese,
New York Daily News,
4 July 2026
It’s loosely based on an actual Chilean colony where German expatriates tortured prisoners at the behest of General Pinochet.
—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 July 2026
The brutal nature of her murder—she was believed to have been tortured, and her body was cut in half and provocatively posed—helped spark a media frenzy.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
29 June 2026
This is just one in a sweaty dungeon of hundreds of TikTok videos that show women being stalked, grabbed, tortured, tossed to the ground, and handcuffed by scary masked soldiers.
—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
25 June 2026
Additionally, Protestant and Catholic clergy have been imprisoned or tortured.
—
Mark Temnycky,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
Investigators say Kelly routinely tied up and tortured Jor'Dynn and documented the abuse on her cellphone with photos and videos.
—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
And in today's world, with the advent of cyberbullying, thanks to every kid having a digital footprint, a child can be tortured without even seeing their bully face-to-face.
—
Sarah Scott,
Parents,
10 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tortured
Adjective
-
Others were placed under house arrest, harassed or subject to extensive surveillance, or had their passports confiscated, according to prior NPR reporting and the findings of the United Nations and rights groups.
-
For years, Christian clergy who live and work in Jerusalem have reported being frequently spat on, harassed and even physically attacked by Israeli extremists.
Verb
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The Washington Principles also recognize that many sales of artwork by Jews during the Nazi era occurred while they were being persecuted, or under duress.
-
Representatives of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine have been persecuted.
Verb
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This has distorted access not only to concert tickets but also to everyday services such as train ticket reservations.
-
With a staggering 70 shades (an upgrade from an already impressive 55 shades) and longer-wearing color pigments that don’t get distorted after a few hours, finding your shade match is a breeze.
Adjective
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But no one who delves into Duchamp can shake the feeling that erotic fixations and frustrated romantic love are at the core of his imaginative universe.
-
Unemployment remains above 30%, making migrants easy political targets for frustrated communities and opportunistic actors.
Verb
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Silva served as Stockton’s mayor from 2013 to 2017, a term that was plagued by scandal.
-
Drafted in the sixth round, Smack is tasked with stabilizing a position that has plagued Green Bay since Mason Crosby's departure.
Verb
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Some cells were mechanically deformed to simulate incidents such as minor parking impacts.
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Habermas was well aware of how the internet had deformed his beloved public sphere.
Adjective
-
But summer back in New York, amid the fug of the city, requires a return to a tested and true formula.
-
The End Kidney Deaths Act finally offers a tested and reasonable solution.
Verb
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Jude, meanwhile, was shifting from tossing cones to tugging at his ears, afflicted with the same malady that had landed several of the toddlers on the room’s version of the injury list.
-
They are both afflicted by cognitive and/or hearing issues.
Cite this Entry
“Tortured.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tortured. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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