torture

1 a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness it's torture for me to see you so unhappy Synonyms agony, Gehenna, horror, misery, murder, nightmare, torment, hellRelated Words affliction, calvary, cross, curse, ordeal, trial, tribulation; calamity, misfortune, tragedy; gall, thorn; bummer, downer, dragNear Antonyms delight, diversion, entertainment, fun, joy, pleasure, recreation; lark, picnic, riotAntonyms heaven, paradise

2 a state of great suffering of body or mind spent an afternoon in torture waiting to hear whether her brother had made it home safely Synonyms affliction, agony, anguish, excruciation, hurt, misery, pain, rack, strait(s), torment, distress, travail, tribulation, woeRelated Words discomfort; cross, crucible, trial; heartache, heartbreak, joylessness, sadness, sorrow, unhappiness; emergency, pinch; asperity, difficulty, hardship, rigor; ache, pang, smarting, soreness, stitch, throe, twinge; danger, jeopardy, troubleNear Antonyms comfort, consolation, solace; alleviation, assuagement, ease, relief; peace, security; well-being

1 to cause persistent suffering to the neighbor's dog constantly tortures our cat, barking at him and chasing him down the street Synonyms agonize, anguish, bedevil, beset, besiege, curse, excruciate, harrow, persecute, plague, rack, torment, afflictRelated Words assail, attack; badger, dog, hound, pursue, ride; aggravate, agitate, annoy, bother, bug, chafe, distress, disturb, exasperate, gall, get, grate, gripe, hagride, harass, harry, irk, irritate, molest, nettle, peeve, pester, pique, put out, rasp, rile, vex; discomfort, discompose, disquiet, fluster, grieve, perturb, strain, stress, trouble, try, upset, worry; crush, oppress, overpower, overwhelm, smite, strike, tyrannize, victimize; hurt, pain, pang, prick, smart, stab, sting, wring; martyrNear Antonyms abet, aid, assist, help; deliver, release, relieve, reprieve; comfort, console, content, quiet, solace, soothe, succor

2 to twist (something) out of a natural or normal shape or condition tortured her naturally straight hair into curls Synonyms deform, distort, misshape, screw, squinch, contort, warpRelated Words deface, disfigure; wrench, wrest, wring; coil, curl, loop, spiral, twine, wind, wreatheNear Antonyms straighten, unbend, uncurl