as in tormented
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tortured
The Atlantic,
8 June 2026
Hunter Biden is mixing it up with admirers and critics on social media, while Jill Biden is rehashing the tortured saga of the last presidential race in a new memoir.
—
ABC News,
6 June 2026
While staying faithful to the gothic tone and thrust of the story, the second book in the series once again turned the narrative in on itself by front-loading the perspective of chaos personified, Louis’ tortured and torturous lover, Lestat de Lioncourt.
—
Alex Zalben,
IndieWire,
3 June 2026
The track is bookended by audio of a woman who sells plasma to fund her shopping addiction, a parallel to Skeletrix’s depiction of his plight as a tortured artist.
—
Olivier Lafontant,
Pitchfork,
15 May 2026
While Naverrette flawlessly plays Nikki as being possessed by a sinister spirit who’s obsessed with Bear, her performance also includes tortured outbursts as the real Nikki sporadically breaks free from her subconscious to react in horror as her friend takes advantage of the situation.
—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
The report contains nearly 300 pages documenting mass rape, tortured families, mutilation of bodies and murder.
—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
14 May 2026
But it was denounced in others after a group of Iraqi artists pulled out of the show, protesting a French artist’s work that featured graphic images of tortured Abu Ghraib detainees.
—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
8 May 2026
Patrick McTigue, chair of the planning board, voted last and cast the deciding vote — but not before taking a long and tortured pause.
—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
26 June 2026
This is just one in a sweaty dungeon of hundreds of TikTok videos that show women being stalked, grabbed, tortured, tossed to the ground, and handcuffed by scary masked soldiers.
—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
25 June 2026
Additionally, Protestant and Catholic clergy have been imprisoned or tortured.
—
Mark Temnycky,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
Investigators say Kelly routinely tied up and tortured Jor'Dynn and documented the abuse on her cellphone with photos and videos.
—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
Six men lured victims to resort then tortured them at gunpoint, FBI says.
—
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
And in today's world, with the advent of cyberbullying, thanks to every kid having a digital footprint, a child can be tortured without even seeing their bully face-to-face.
—
Sarah Scott,
Parents,
10 June 2026
During similar unrest last year, several officers were abducted and tortured after being taken captive.
—
ABC News,
8 June 2026
Armand tortured and planned to drain Daniel, but Louis stepped in to save him.
—
Tiffany Kelly,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 June 2026
Adjective
In a feature published today, deputy executive editor Yoni Appelbaum examines the tortured debate—inside and outside the academy—over how to tell the American story.
—
The Atlantic,
8 June 2026
Hunter Biden is mixing it up with admirers and critics on social media, while Jill Biden is rehashing the tortured saga of the last presidential race in a new memoir.
—
ABC News,
6 June 2026
While staying faithful to the gothic tone and thrust of the story, the second book in the series once again turned the narrative in on itself by front-loading the perspective of chaos personified, Louis’ tortured and torturous lover, Lestat de Lioncourt.
—
Alex Zalben,
IndieWire,
3 June 2026
The track is bookended by audio of a woman who sells plasma to fund her shopping addiction, a parallel to Skeletrix’s depiction of his plight as a tortured artist.
—
Olivier Lafontant,
Pitchfork,
15 May 2026
While Naverrette flawlessly plays Nikki as being possessed by a sinister spirit who’s obsessed with Bear, her performance also includes tortured outbursts as the real Nikki sporadically breaks free from her subconscious to react in horror as her friend takes advantage of the situation.
—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
The report contains nearly 300 pages documenting mass rape, tortured families, mutilation of bodies and murder.
—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
14 May 2026
But it was denounced in others after a group of Iraqi artists pulled out of the show, protesting a French artist’s work that featured graphic images of tortured Abu Ghraib detainees.
—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
8 May 2026
Patrick McTigue, chair of the planning board, voted last and cast the deciding vote — but not before taking a long and tortured pause.
—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
Pluverge, an ice cream maker at Taste the Tropics, came to the United States on asylum after he was kidnapped and tortured by gang members in his home country.
—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
26 June 2026
This is just one in a sweaty dungeon of hundreds of TikTok videos that show women being stalked, grabbed, tortured, tossed to the ground, and handcuffed by scary masked soldiers.
—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
25 June 2026
Additionally, Protestant and Catholic clergy have been imprisoned or tortured.
—
Mark Temnycky,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
Investigators say Kelly routinely tied up and tortured Jor'Dynn and documented the abuse on her cellphone with photos and videos.
—
Alexa Herrera,
CBS News,
23 June 2026
Six men lured victims to resort then tortured them at gunpoint, FBI says.
—
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
And in today's world, with the advent of cyberbullying, thanks to every kid having a digital footprint, a child can be tortured without even seeing their bully face-to-face.
—
Sarah Scott,
Parents,
10 June 2026
During similar unrest last year, several officers were abducted and tortured after being taken captive.
—
ABC News,
8 June 2026
Armand tortured and planned to drain Daniel, but Louis stepped in to save him.
—
Tiffany Kelly,
Entertainment Weekly,
3 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tortured
Adjective
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Others were placed under house arrest, harassed or subject to extensive surveillance, or had their passports confiscated, according to prior NPR reporting and the findings of the United Nations and rights groups.
-
For years, Christian clergy who live and work in Jerusalem have reported being frequently spat on, harassed and even physically attacked by Israeli extremists.
Verb
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In Britain, all the large predators had long since been exterminated and the smaller ones (like foxes) were ruthlessly persecuted.
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Supporting people who have too often been, and continue to be, persecuted and othered would be a direct way to address the suffering.
Verb
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This has distorted access not only to concert tickets but also to everyday services such as train ticket reservations.
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With a staggering 70 shades (an upgrade from an already impressive 55 shades) and longer-wearing color pigments that don’t get distorted after a few hours, finding your shade match is a breeze.
Adjective
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Yet many leaders remain frustrated.
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Goldman, who has been repeatedly slammed by Lander on the issue, was clearly frustrated and upset, saying that the AIPAC attack could lead to more antisemitism.
Verb
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Yet within weeks of Trump declaring the rehabilitation completed in time for Independence Day, the water was plagued by a vivid green algae bloom that clouded the pool’s coating.
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By the time of the shooting in November 1999, the 5-foot-11, 194-pound Carruth was again being plagued by injuries.
Verb
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Some cells were mechanically deformed to simulate incidents such as minor parking impacts.
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Habermas was well aware of how the internet had deformed his beloved public sphere.
Adjective
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Projects will be judged on several criteria, including the project’s creativity and the use of tested and accurate AI.
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Every batch of ice cream, even those with tested and confirmed recipes, requires a lot of tasting and adjusting.
Verb
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They are both afflicted by cognitive and/or hearing issues.
-
Two-thirds of respondents afflicted with alpha-gal reported anxiety or depressive disorders in a 2025 University of Missouri survey.
Cite this Entry
“Tortured.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tortured. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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