1
as in agony
a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness
the released soldiers gave interviews trying to explain to civilians the torment that prisoners of war experience
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in distress
a state of great suffering of body or mind
was in torment for weeks after he broke up with his girlfriend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to plague
to cause persistent suffering to
he was tormented by nightmares about the accident
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of torment
Oona Hanson, CNN Money, 16 May 2025
The Weeknd discography plays like one big party with noxious vibes, thrown by a hedonist less interested in a good time than numbing the torment of an existence comprising coke-and-sizzurp binges, emotionless supermodel threeways, and morning-afters of bleak reflection.
—Charles Bramesco, IndieWire, 15 May 2025
David Renton
may 12, Literary Hub, 12 May 2025
As a girl, she was also tormented by a reddish blotchiness on her face, most likely from rosacea or acne.
—James Marcus, New Yorker, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for torment
Noun
Speaking from her clients’ experiences and her own, Rosenbluth recognized the way these influencers’ cruel messages often directly echo the internal torment of people with eating disorders.
—Oona Hanson, CNN Money, 16 May 2025
The Weeknd discography plays like one big party with noxious vibes, thrown by a hedonist less interested in a good time than numbing the torment of an existence comprising coke-and-sizzurp binges, emotionless supermodel threeways, and morning-afters of bleak reflection.
—Charles Bramesco, IndieWire, 15 May 2025
Verb
His subsequent election encourages any number of village Hitlers who torment the family of the novel’s protagonist.
—David Renton
may 12, Literary Hub, 12 May 2025
As a girl, she was also tormented by a reddish blotchiness on her face, most likely from rosacea or acne.
—James Marcus, New Yorker, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for torment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torment
Noun
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But playing with an already-strained right calf, the Oshkosh, Wis., native stepped awkwardly towards the basket and crumbled to the court in agony when his leg appeared to pop.—
Sean Neumann,
People.com,
24 June 2025
-
Finding alternatives that would end this agony would be one of American science’s most important achievements.—
Rachel Fobar,
Vox,
14 May 2025
Noun
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To add insult to injury, distress at work has been linked to a decrease in innovative work behavior, meaning all that destructive stress ultimately may yield less inspiring work.—
Drew Gerber,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
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The Tennessee law, like Idaho’s, centers on medical care for transgender youth that addresses gender dysphoria, or feelings of distress when a person’s body or presentation doesn’t match their gender identity.—
Nicole Blanchard,
Idaho Statesman,
19 June 2025
Noun
-
Things become complicated when a popular rival boy band, The Saja Boys, are revealed to be demons.—
Laura Sirikul,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
-
Despite decades away from the musical mainstream in the 1970s and '80s, when his psychological demons were most aggressive, Wilson's towering impact was never in question.—
Marco della Cava,
USA Today,
12 June 2025
Verb
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Much of the documentary explores Walters' insecurities, which plagued her despite her incredible accomplishments.—
Gillian Telling,
People.com,
16 June 2025
-
Orders at last year's Farnborough were notably weaker, with supply chain challenges continuing to plague the industry.—
Jenni Reid,Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
16 June 2025
Noun
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But highly damaged Mark, whose upbringing was evidently a nightmare of abuse, has found salvation, or at least escape: He’s ordained himself a servant of the Lord, holding improvisational services in the prison chapel to a paltry flock.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
20 June 2025
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The full scope of the nightmare began to crystallize even as the chief learned how the instincts of a Brooklyn Park sergeant put the police on a collision course with Vance Boelter, the man accused of assassinating the Hortmans after shooting a state senator and his wife, at a critical moment.—
Danya Gainor,
CNN Money,
18 June 2025
Noun
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The class encompasses information about exercises to prepare the mother for birth, relaxation and coping techniques, pain control options, labor positioning, induction and C-section basics, recovery and welcoming baby.—
Orlando Sentinel Staff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 June 2025
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Castor oil packs are a popular home remedy used to support pain relief, digestion, lymphatic flow, and skin health.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Health,
25 June 2025
Noun
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By the time Jaws’s 45th anniversaries rolled around, society was locked down in the Covid pandemic’s first year, terror gripping communities worldwide.—
Mark Hughes,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2025
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Izadi had been sanctioned by the U.S. and U.K. over his ties to the Palestinian militant faction Islamic Jihad, which also helped plan the Oct. 7 terror attacks.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
21 June 2025
Verb
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With his penchant for menacing models, black-out contact lenses and jutting shoulders, Owens is also a forever torchbearer for different kinds of beauty, and a safe haven for people who feel persecuted for being outside the norm.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
25 June 2025
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The regimes that persecute religious minorities are also the ones that oppress women, LGBTQ people, journalists, and dissidents.—
Nuri Kino,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Torment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torment. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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