as in tormented
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in persecuted
to cause persistent suffering to
the neighbor's dog constantly tortures our cat, barking at him and chasing him down the street
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in distorted
to twist (something) out of a natural or normal shape or condition
tortured her naturally straight hair into curls
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tortured
Verb
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An immigration surge prior to last year’s homeless count likely distorted the picture of homelessness in the country, according to a Los Angeles Times analysis of research by University of Pennsylvania professor Dennis Culhane, a leading national expert on homelessness.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Mar. 2025 -
But the excitement over defeating the evil scientists and saving the damsel is distorted by the sound of Gemma’s distressed cries.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Ringo was yellow submarines and octopus gardens, the mascot little brother, despite being the eldest Beatle, and the best at flittering above the feuds that afflicted the trio of geniuses around him.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
31 Mar. 2025
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Unfortunately, this fresh ailment has afflicted him for the majority of his 2024-25 run.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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In truth, Moyes had cut a frustrated figure throughout Saturday’s defeat.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2025
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The first-term lawmaker is the only incumbent Senate Democrat up for reelection in 2026 in a state carried by Trump, with a path to victory that hinges on winning over voters who supported the president and turning out a frustrated Democratic base.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
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In recent months, the Kennedy Center has been besieged by performance cancelations both voluntary and involuntary.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
26 Mar. 2025
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At the start of the invasion, Russian troops besieged the city, forcing residents to endure harsh winter conditions without electricity or water under constant shelling from Russian artillery, missiles and drones.—
Illia Novikov,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The ball curled through the proverbial eye of a needle, between Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez, and behind Alexis Mac Allister, who was forced to spin on his heels.—
Laurie Whitwell,
The Athletic,
5 Jan. 2025
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The old woman, though, stares at the screen, the shadow of a smile curled into her lips and a frown barely creasing her forehead.—
Matthew Bremner,
Rolling Stone,
5 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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But beyond those elite few prospects, why would coaches play or pay freshmen instead of the veterans, the tested and proven Division I players, now available in what amounts to forever free agency?—
CJ Moore,
The Athletic,
25 July 2024
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There is no reliable and tested method that can say that a certain volcano will erupt on a certain day or at a certain time.—
Erik Klemetti,
Discover Magazine,
29 Feb. 2024
Adjective
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She was also sentenced Jan. 8 to three years in prison on two counts of writing threats to kill or to do bodily injury and one count of aggravated stalking with a credible threat.—
Olivia Lloyd,
Miami Herald,
29 Jan. 2025
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Finally, Lowell Police arrested him on June 14, 2024, for aggravated rape of a child and rape of a child with force.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
9 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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For most of her career, and certainly since her portrayal of the harried, unglamorous sketch-show head writer Liz Lemon in 30 Rock coincided with the rise of pop feminism in the late aughts, her every plot and utterance has been widely scrutinized.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
1 May 2025
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The staff is mutually supportive, in a harried way, but the work is relentless: There is too much, and then there’s one more thing and then there’s a mass shooting at a downtown festival and the doors blow open.—
James Poniewozik,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Tortured.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tortured. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
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