TORTURER Synonyms: 57 Similar and Opposite Words

torturer

noun

Definition of torturer

as in tease

a person who causes repeated emotional pain, distress, or annoyance to another a sadistic torturer of men he regarded as weak, the drillmaster really had it in for one recruit

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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 torturer Red is immediately abducted, cut open in an ambulance, and injected with pain-magnifying drugs by his torturers, while Liz accidentally murders the mysterious man surveilling her next door. — Ew Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 25 June 2026 Aaron escapes his torturers, first by rooting himself in the town’s only movie theater open to Black people, and then by lying about his age and enlisting in the Navy at 16. — Meredith Maran, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026 Incredibly, one of Schiller's torturers, Jorge Delgado - the Sun Gym member who had first told Lugo about Schiller and his millions - ended up helping the federal government make their case. — Troy Roberts, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026 His torturers shattered his hands and paraded him around the stadium, taunting him to try to play his guitar. — Christina Hioureas, Rolling Stone, 22 Mar. 2026 Others refuse to lower themselves to the level of their torturers. — Karl Vick, Time, 13 Mar. 2026 In an early scene, an auto mechanic named Vahid recognizes his former torturer by the distinctive squeak of his prosthetic leg. — Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026 The film, which looks at a former political prisoner who considers violent revenge against his prison torturer, was co-written by Panahi, Mahmoudian, Nader Saeiver and Shadhmer Rastin. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 1 Feb. 2026 In addition, my torturers repeatedly provided pieces of information that could prove helpful in identifying them as part of investigations by the FBI and other agencies. — Elizabeth Tsurkov, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for torturer

Noun

What begins as misjudgment, the official synopsis teases, spirals through human conflict into tragedy on a cosmic scale.

— Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 9 July 2026
Dancehall sounds like a tease in the dead of winter.

— Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 28 June 2026

Definition of tease

Noun

Razia showed up at the scene not to aid in a kidnapping, but to confront her online tormentor, Sacks maintained.

— John Annese, New York Daily News, 4 July 2026
But her primary tormenter, former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, was arrested last year under a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.

— William Earl, Variety, 29 June 2026

Definition of tormentor

Noun

Third-graders would learn about the Road to Damascus, which tells the story of Paul’s transformation from an early persecutor of Christians into a follower.

— Heather Hollingsworth, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Third graders would learn about the Road to Damascus, which tells the story of Paul's transformation from an early persecutor of Christians into a follower.

— CBS News, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026

Definition of persecutor

Noun

Anyone who thinks the only alternative to being a victim is to be a victimizer is missing some important possibilities.

— Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Even if online shaming continues, this accountability will make sure that the victimizer will face social consequences as well.

— Eli Thompson, Rolling Stone, 25 Oct. 2025

Definition of victimizer

Noun

Angel City attacker Jun Endo went down with a non-contact injury in the 33rd minute and was assisted off the pitch visibly shaken.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026
Johan Manzambi Exciting attacker Johan Manzambi has played a starring role for a Switzerland side that reached the quarter-final stage for the first time since 1954, before being eliminated by Argentina.

— Tom Burrows, New York Times, 12 July 2026

Definition of attacker

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torturer

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“Torturer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torturer. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of torturer

noun

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