tortured; torturing
ˈtȯrch-riŋ 
ˈtȯr-chə-
1
: to cause intense suffering to : torment
2
: to punish or coerce by inflicting excruciating pain
Synonyms
Examples of torture in a Sentence
Noun
Waiting is just torture for me.
Listening to him can be torture.
Verb
The report revealed that prisoners had been repeatedly tortured.
Don't torture yourself over the mistake.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 18 Apr. 2024
The judge’s ruling also noted that Assange could be stuck in solitary confinement for 23 hours per day while awaiting trial in the U.S., a punishment widely considered by other wealthy countries to be torture.
—Matt Novak / Gizmodo, Quartz, 17 Apr. 2024
The vast majority of asylum claims — in which immigrants claim fear of persecution or torture if they are removed to their home countries — in recent years have been defensive claims.
—Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press, 12 Apr. 2024
Garland balances this punchy tone with shockingly gory images of torture, lynchings, bodies in the streets, mass graves, firing squads.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 11 Apr. 2024
Polls have consistently shown a broad lack of enthusiasm about a Biden-Trump matchup, which many equate to a choice between torture on the rack and being drawn and quartered.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Cuatro pleaded no contest to first-degree murder and torture charges and will face 32 years to life in prison, while Juarez pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and torture and will face 22 years to life in prison, the outlets reported.
—Liam Quinn, Peoplemag, 1 Apr. 2024
In 1999, the Israeli Supreme Court stepped in after pleas from human rights organizations and ruled that torture of Palestinians at the hands of Shin Bet, the country’s domestic security agency, was generally prohibited.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
The most common methods of torture include beatings, electric shocks, threats of execution, mock executions and positional torture.
—Katya Soldak, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Amber Ferguson, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
Crackdown on Protests: U.N. investigators said that the Iranian authorities killed, tortured and raped many in their brutal repression of protests that erupted over the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who was arrested for allegedly wearing her hijab incorrectly.
—Ronen Bergman, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Parents plead no contest to killing and torturing their 4-year-old son, Noah Cuatro.
—Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2024
One Ukrainian soldier captured in Zaporizhzhia in November, 2023, was tortured during interrogation.
—Katya Soldak, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
At Smith’s trial, jurors were shown hard-to-watch footage of Smith torturing her there.
—Christine Pelisek, Peoplemag, 27 Mar. 2024
But they were captured during a battle against the military on November 7 last year, and taken to a nearby village, where they were tortured and killed by a pro-junta militia under the watch of Myanmar army soldiers, according to witnesses.
—Helen Regan, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024
Suspects appeared to be tortured In their court appearance, the suspects appeared to have been tortured, Reuters reported.
—George Petras, USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024
Engagement in delinquent behavior is common, specifically having a fascination with setting fires and harming or torturing animals.
—Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 21 Mar. 2024
Noun
Trina Mae Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of child torture, one count of child neglect—deprivation of food and health care, one count of child endangerment, and one count of assault on a minor with a dangerous weapon, officials said.
—Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 18 Apr. 2024
The judge’s ruling also noted that Assange could be stuck in solitary confinement for 23 hours per day while awaiting trial in the U.S., a punishment widely considered by other wealthy countries to be torture.
—Matt Novak / Gizmodo, Quartz, 17 Apr. 2024
The vast majority of asylum claims — in which immigrants claim fear of persecution or torture if they are removed to their home countries — in recent years have been defensive claims.
—Todd Spangler, Detroit Free Press, 12 Apr. 2024
Garland balances this punchy tone with shockingly gory images of torture, lynchings, bodies in the streets, mass graves, firing squads.
—Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 11 Apr. 2024
Polls have consistently shown a broad lack of enthusiasm about a Biden-Trump matchup, which many equate to a choice between torture on the rack and being drawn and quartered.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Cuatro pleaded no contest to first-degree murder and torture charges and will face 32 years to life in prison, while Juarez pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and torture and will face 22 years to life in prison, the outlets reported.
—Liam Quinn, Peoplemag, 1 Apr. 2024
In 1999, the Israeli Supreme Court stepped in after pleas from human rights organizations and ruled that torture of Palestinians at the hands of Shin Bet, the country’s domestic security agency, was generally prohibited.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
The most common methods of torture include beatings, electric shocks, threats of execution, mock executions and positional torture.
—Katya Soldak, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Verb
Then came a reckoning. Dec. 5, 2023 What home schooling hides: A boy tortured and starved by his stepmom
Dec. 2, 2023
Their sons’ lives ended in gunfire.
—Amber Ferguson, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
Crackdown on Protests: U.N. investigators said that the Iranian authorities killed, tortured and raped many in their brutal repression of protests that erupted over the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who was arrested for allegedly wearing her hijab incorrectly.
—Ronen Bergman, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Parents plead no contest to killing and torturing their 4-year-old son, Noah Cuatro.
—Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2024
One Ukrainian soldier captured in Zaporizhzhia in November, 2023, was tortured during interrogation.
—Katya Soldak, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
At Smith’s trial, jurors were shown hard-to-watch footage of Smith torturing her there.
—Christine Pelisek, Peoplemag, 27 Mar. 2024
But they were captured during a battle against the military on November 7 last year, and taken to a nearby village, where they were tortured and killed by a pro-junta militia under the watch of Myanmar army soldiers, according to witnesses.
—Helen Regan, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024
Suspects appeared to be tortured In their court appearance, the suspects appeared to have been tortured, Reuters reported.
—George Petras, USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024
Engagement in delinquent behavior is common, specifically having a fascination with setting fires and harming or torturing animals.
—Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 21 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'torture.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Torture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/torture. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
torture
1 of 2 noun
tor·ture
ˈtȯr-chər
1
: distress of body or mind
2
: the causing of great pain especially to punish or to obtain a confession
torture
2 of 2 verb
tortured; torturing
ˈtȯrch-(ə-)riŋ
1
: to cause great suffering to
2
: to punish or force someone to do or say something by causing great pain
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