1
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
it was a tormenting moment as they helplessly watched the other team score in the final seconds of the game
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in torturing
intensely or unbearably painful
a tormenting injury
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in plaguing
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 tormenting
JSTOR Daily, 31 Oct. 2025
As in much of McGuane’s fiction, the natural environment—in this case, the vitreous Florida flats, and the angler-tormenting tarpon, permit, and bonefish that populate them—provides the foil.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2025
Known for his brash comedic style, the British actor seems tailor-made for the part of the bearded bully who delights in tormenting everyone around him — especially his wife.
—Jane Lacroix, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
By 2016, the Penguins had been tormenting the Capitals with playoff comebacks for decades, and Sidney Crosby was pulling away in his rivalry with Alexander Ovechkin.
—Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Baldoni later accused Lively of tormenting him, his family and colleagues in a lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York in January.
—Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 12 Sep. 2025
As her condition worsens, her fiancé’s brooding cousin becomes an unwilling participant in the evil forces tormenting her.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2025
This demon, for want of a better word, seems to relish tormenting people.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
In her exhaustive chronicle, Jennings traces the long folkloric history of monk-tormenting demons.
—JSTOR Daily, 31 Oct. 2025
As in much of McGuane’s fiction, the natural environment—in this case, the vitreous Florida flats, and the angler-tormenting tarpon, permit, and bonefish that populate them—provides the foil.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2025
Known for his brash comedic style, the British actor seems tailor-made for the part of the bearded bully who delights in tormenting everyone around him — especially his wife.
—Jane Lacroix, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
By 2016, the Penguins had been tormenting the Capitals with playoff comebacks for decades, and Sidney Crosby was pulling away in his rivalry with Alexander Ovechkin.
—Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
Baldoni later accused Lively of tormenting him, his family and colleagues in a lawsuit filed in the Southern District of New York in January.
—Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 12 Sep. 2025
As her condition worsens, her fiancé’s brooding cousin becomes an unwilling participant in the evil forces tormenting her.
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2025
This demon, for want of a better word, seems to relish tormenting people.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tormenting
Adjective
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Ember Leonara, 36, tells Rolling Stone that coming out as transgender this year led to painful rifts in her life.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
11 Nov. 2025
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But the track record is mixed—SoftBank’s backing of WeWork ended in a high-profile collapse, and the premature exit from Nvidia has become a painful reminder of opportunities lost.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Both cases are apt to serve as models for how to prevent the kind of school shootings still plaguing the nation and could set legal precedent for who shoulders the blame when children have access to guns and open fire on campus.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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The Live With Kelly and Mark talk show hostess seemingly hasn't known peace on the scariest day of the year for quite some time, but not because of ghosts and ghoulies plaguing her — but, rather, ungrateful neighbors who consistently complain about her Halloween candy.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
That is unacceptably cruel, corrupt, and undemocratic.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
7 Nov. 2025
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Instead, she was stripped of her bronze medal after a late score inquiry—a ruling that still feels cruel for an athlete who had delivered the performance of her life.—
Essence,
Essence,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Perhaps the most wrenching scene is one in which Anders, seated alone in a busy café, tunes in to ordinary conversations around him.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Trump has repeatedly alleged that the South African government is actively persecuting white citizens, particularly farmers.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Nov. 2025
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The former human-rights lawyer entered on a tourist visa and filed for political asylum in October of that year, claiming the governments that succeeded Correa were persecuting him.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The earnings report is the first by the company following the August close of the merger of Paramount and Skydance after a long and torturous regulatory process.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
10 Nov. 2025
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Waiting for news was torturous.—
Grace White,
Essence,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The Cincinnati Bengals have endured agonizing losses over the past two weeks, both falling late in the fourth quarter due to a defense that has struggled to make key stops.—
Cole Sullivan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
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The agonizing disease disproportionately impacts black and brown people, many of whom don’t live past their 50s and struggle with heart disease, strokes, kidney disease, and joint problems.—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The isotopes can remain in the environment years after testing, afflicting those exposed with cancers including lung, leukemia, lymphoma, thyroid and breast, the paper says.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
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Domestic violence is a painful reality afflicting too many households in this country, which makes the words and actions of the current administration so egregious and hurtful.—
Gwen Moore,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tormenting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tormenting. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
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