1
as in nightmares
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in distresses
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
3
as in demons
a source of persistent emotional distress
insomnia that was caused by a host of nighttime torments
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in plagues
to cause persistent suffering to
he was tormented by nightmares about the accident
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of torments
Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026
In the face of such grave concerns, Alyoshka’s torments seem self-indulgent and frustrating, but his problem—whether to leave or stay—is far from insignificant.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
For example, Madrazo’s depiction of the daughters of El Cid echoes Yáñez’s treatment of Sebastian’s torments, and Guerrero has deeply studied Spanish baroque painting.
—Benjamin Lima
special Contributor, Dallas Morning News, 18 Mar. 2026
In that final part of the cycle—the writing part—were torments, perhaps even tortures, but good things happened.
—Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2026
Denver author Josiah Hesse was raised by Evangelical parents in churches that believe in the torments of hell, that their poverty is due to their sinfulness and lack of faith.
—Sandra Dallas, Denver Post, 1 Feb. 2026
The author delves into the torments PTSD causes Vietnam veterans as well as family dynamics.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 21 Dec. 2025
Hell is nevertheless filled with bloody and horrific torments.
—Claudia Roth Pierpont, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
But true to its Old Testament inspiration and underlying theology, there’s no knowing why God has sent these torments to Jacob and his town.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 9 May 2026
Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Phil, a spiteful rancher who torments his brother's (Jesse Plemons) new wife (Kirsten Dunst) and her sensitive teenage son, Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee), against the backdrop of 1920s Montana.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Apr. 2026
Madigan's Aunt Gladys emerges as the movie's primary villain and torments characters portrayed by Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Benedict Wong and child star Cary Christopher throughout the film.
—Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026
Jigsaw torments blind guys, too.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 7 Nov. 2025
Hurricane Melissa torments Jamaica 'There have been loud bangs on the ceiling, and our doors are shaking.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
The Grabber hounds Finn through an old phone booth and torments Gwen through her dreams.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
So too did Trump spiritual advisor Paula White-Cain, who compared the president’s torments to those of Jesus.
—Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026
In the face of such grave concerns, Alyoshka’s torments seem self-indulgent and frustrating, but his problem—whether to leave or stay—is far from insignificant.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
For example, Madrazo’s depiction of the daughters of El Cid echoes Yáñez’s treatment of Sebastian’s torments, and Guerrero has deeply studied Spanish baroque painting.
—Benjamin Lima
special Contributor, Dallas Morning News, 18 Mar. 2026
In that final part of the cycle—the writing part—were torments, perhaps even tortures, but good things happened.
—Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2026
Denver author Josiah Hesse was raised by Evangelical parents in churches that believe in the torments of hell, that their poverty is due to their sinfulness and lack of faith.
—Sandra Dallas, Denver Post, 1 Feb. 2026
The author delves into the torments PTSD causes Vietnam veterans as well as family dynamics.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 21 Dec. 2025
Hell is nevertheless filled with bloody and horrific torments.
—Claudia Roth Pierpont, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
But true to its Old Testament inspiration and underlying theology, there’s no knowing why God has sent these torments to Jacob and his town.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Verb
Alexa Bliss, Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley after Jade Cargill torments Ripley.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 9 May 2026
Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Phil, a spiteful rancher who torments his brother's (Jesse Plemons) new wife (Kirsten Dunst) and her sensitive teenage son, Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee), against the backdrop of 1920s Montana.
—Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Apr. 2026
Madigan's Aunt Gladys emerges as the movie's primary villain and torments characters portrayed by Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Benedict Wong and child star Cary Christopher throughout the film.
—Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 2026
Jigsaw torments blind guys, too.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 7 Nov. 2025
Hurricane Melissa torments Jamaica 'There have been loud bangs on the ceiling, and our doors are shaking.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
The Grabber hounds Finn through an old phone booth and torments Gwen through her dreams.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torments
Noun
-
Andy Pages doubled off Phillies reliever Orion Kerkering – a matchup straight out of Philadelphia’s nightmares – and scored on Mookie Betts’ third hit of the night, a single to right field.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
31 May 2026
-
Production designer Danny Vermette created these escape rooms, which align to the dark spirit of director Jonathan Glazer, Tod Browning and, of course, Lynch and Stephen King, the landscape of purgatory-like nightmares.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
The Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, DC, has removed a priest as an exorcist and cut ties with the priest's nonprofit organization over comments the priest made about UFOs and demons.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
-
The Bosch follower panel, titled Hell, was packed with the strange creatures, demons, and punishments that made the artist famous.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Odd moment plagues fourth quarter As the Knicks held on to their fairly sizable lead, a fan ran onto the court, tried to take a selfie with Wembanyama but was quickly apprehended by security.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
-
Early has been significantly better on the road than at home this year, a problem that plagues the team as a whole.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Although the novel’s center does not quite hold, O’Farrell’s emotional intelligence — the heart and heat of her characters — braces this sometimes unwieldy chronicle of a nation that has been subject to cumbrous historic agonies.—
Rachel Vorona Cote,
Vulture,
2 June 2026
-
The agonies of the day were only intermittently audible in the music on offer in Witten.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Acer was also at pains to point out the large performance differential between the RTX 5070 Ti and the vanilla RTX 5070, which sounds similar.—
John Burek,
PC Magazine,
29 May 2026
-
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz compounded the pains of militia attacks, forcing Iraq to declare force-majeure on foreign-run oil operations and curtail production.—
Nabil Salih,
Time,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
Madonna has made music through various calamities that at the time felt world-ending — wars, political unrest, financial collapse — so the terrors of 2026 don’t seem to faze her.—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
-
The night is dark and full of terrors, but our Instagram account is full of House of the Dragon.—
Tiffany Kelly,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
China, which jails human rights activists in Hong Kong, persecutes Uyghurs, has killed hundreds of thousands of Tibetans and has committed genocide against the Falun Gong, is on the UN Human Rights Council.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
In Russia, the civilian repressive apparatus persecutes the military, which leaps at every chance for revenge.—
Stephen Kotkin,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The bleak tortures Ohm concocts for his characters are as vile as the Bilberry’s fetid jacuzzi.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
But such judgments often come from a place of distance—from people who have never lived under a theocracy that imprisons, tortures, and kills with impunity.—
Nazanin Boniadi,
Time,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Torments.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torments. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
