1
as in nightmare
a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness
it's torture for me to see you so unhappy
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in agony
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 & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to plague
to cause persistent suffering to
the neighbor's dog constantly tortures our cat, barking at him and chasing him down the street
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2
as in to distort
to twist (something) out of a natural or normal shape or condition
tortured her naturally straight hair into curls
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of torture
Terry Kupers, Oc Register, 11 Oct. 2025
The words through torture and civil war in June 2002, the decisive stand against the same Ratsiraka who had returned to power from 1996 to 2002 and was vying for yet another term, who would rather cheat in the elections and cause a civil war instead of withdrawing in defeat from the polls.
—Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2025
Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
For four years the DINA detained, interrogated and tortured tens of thousands of Pinochet’s opponents.
—Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for torture
Noun
Rightfully defined as torture under international law, the use of solitary confinement must be halted.
—Terry Kupers, Oc Register, 11 Oct. 2025
The words through torture and civil war in June 2002, the decisive stand against the same Ratsiraka who had returned to power from 1996 to 2002 and was vying for yet another term, who would rather cheat in the elections and cause a civil war instead of withdrawing in defeat from the polls.
—Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
Murphy also revealed there would be a focus on the Hungarian noblewoman Elizabeth Báthory, who, along with her servants, was accused of torturing and killing hundreds of young women in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
For four years the DINA detained, interrogated and tortured tens of thousands of Pinochet’s opponents.
—Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for torture
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torture
Noun
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The cult classic was based on a nightmare director Don Coscarelli had, and it's best viewed that way.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Oct. 2025
-
The Hurricanes’ defensive front, buoyed by edge rushers like Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor, is a nightmare matchup for any passing offense.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Aches and pains don’t compare to the agony of an unrealized dream.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
13 Oct. 2025
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But this specific take on the agony and the, well, extra helping of agony that parenthood often feels like is all hers.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The extravaganza was the first in years to enjoy the viewership on both TV and streaming that people come to expect of the event after a fallow period during which NBC was plagued by Asia time-slot challenges and the coronavirus pandemic, among other factors.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
20 Oct. 2025
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When an unexpected event takes him back to his hometown, he is reunited with his mother and old friends but also confronted by the corruption that plagues his country, sparking a political awakening.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
As business leaders and economists begin to take concerns of an AI bubble more seriously, the proliferation of loose internet bots has become more alarming because of their potential to distort data key to assessing the sustainability and growth of emerging tech companies.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
15 Oct. 2025
-
The macula, part of the retina needed for sharp vision, may become distorted, causing blurry sight.—
Liz Szabo,
Scientific American,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
While most of us on the plane were in this same unexpected predicament, a passenger nearby didn't seem to be sharing in our misery thanks to a compact gadget propped up their phone to the perfect viewing height.—
Anita Katee,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Oct. 2025
-
His matchup against Minnesota could add to the misery.—
Brad Evans,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Because of that, diabetes distress has been linked to other serious mental health issues.—
Lauren J. Young,
Scientific American,
14 Oct. 2025
-
Family members of the victims filed defamation and emotional distress lawsuits in Connecticut and Texas, where Jones’ Infowars talk show is based.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
These regimes persecute minorities, jail anyone who speaks freely, and rule through fear and censorship.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
10 Oct. 2025
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Blasphemy accusations have been used repeatedly to persecute Christians and other religious minorities in the country.—
Sean Nelson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Broncos got screwed on an interference call that placed the ball on the 1-yard line.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Gabriel has royally screwed the pooch.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Torture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torture. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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