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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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
Mahmoudian decided to help his torturer.
—
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
As my experience showed, a heavy reliance on physical abuse makes for proficient torturers, not skilled interrogators.
—Elizabeth Tsurkov, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
Hopper grabs El and leaves Kali behind to be captured by her torturers again.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025
The overwhelming majority of experts dispute that torture actually works as an interrogation technique, arguing that any information that comes out of it is unreliable as people under duress will say anything needed to convince their torturers to stop.
—Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 5 Nov. 2025
Simply the possibility of taking some kind of revenge on the man who may or may not have been their torturer suddenly becomes an existential fact each person must confront in his or her own way.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
For decades, generals, coup-plotters, and torturers walked free under the shield of amnesty laws passed after the country’s 21-year dictatorship.
—Julia Vargas Jones, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
Is the man actually his torturer?
—Zach Dennis, Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2025
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
As my experience showed, a heavy reliance on physical abuse makes for proficient torturers, not skilled interrogators.
—Elizabeth Tsurkov, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
Hopper grabs El and leaves Kali behind to be captured by her torturers again.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025
The overwhelming majority of experts dispute that torture actually works as an interrogation technique, arguing that any information that comes out of it is unreliable as people under duress will say anything needed to convince their torturers to stop.
—Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 5 Nov. 2025
Simply the possibility of taking some kind of revenge on the man who may or may not have been their torturer suddenly becomes an existential fact each person must confront in his or her own way.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
For decades, generals, coup-plotters, and torturers walked free under the shield of amnesty laws passed after the country’s 21-year dictatorship.
—Julia Vargas Jones, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
Is the man actually his torturer?
—Zach Dennis, Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torturer
Noun
-
The fact that a major publishing announcement (or at least a tease of one) is being made on a mainstream entertainment podcast rather than through a traditional book-industry channel speaks to how pop culture and publishing are increasingly intertwined.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Mar. 2026
-
As for which Bridgerton sibling takes the spotlight next, Brownell offered a tease.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Gisèle Pelicot divorced her tormentor when the abuse came to light in 2020.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Mar. 2026
-
If the tormenters keep it up, grackles do eventually move.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Instead, the lawsuit argued, law enforcement in the area where the harasser lived should have served the papers.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
27 Dec. 2025
-
Moreover, when harassers disproportionately target women, people of color and LGBTQ officials, entire communities are systematically excluded from participation in self-governance.—
Ernestine Nettles,
Mercury News,
22 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Shakespeare humanizes the Elizabethan stage stereotype of the villainous Jew by giving Shylock ample reason for wanting to get back at his Christian persecutors.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Jan. 2026
-
Paul was a former persecutor of Christians who became a missionary and was later beheaded in Rome.—
Lori A Bashian , Larry Fink,
FOXNews.com,
23 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The podcast is a fascinating artifact, the tale of a woman still untangling her role as both victim and victimizer.—
Jillian Steinhauer,
New Yorker,
23 Jan. 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
Noun
-
The attacker who gunned down revelers at a bar in Austin, Texas, over the weekend appears to have posted antisemitic, anti-Christian and misogynistic posts in the year and a half leading up to the deadly shooting, according to law enforcement sources in Texas.—
Anna Schecter,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Meanwhile, police used license plate information that Parrish had called in before approaching Kearse to identify the attacker’s vehicle and home address, where Kearse was arrested.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Torturer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torturer. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
