as in tormentors
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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Recent Examples of torturers
The prisoners got out and the saw the torturers.
—
Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 21 Jan. 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
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
Each regime, from the Pahlavi dynasty to the Islamic Republic, claimed to uphold human rights and castigated its predecessors as torturers, only to ratchet up the incarceration of political opponents.
—Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 21 Jan. 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
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
Each regime, from the Pahlavi dynasty to the Islamic Republic, claimed to uphold human rights and castigated its predecessors as torturers, only to ratchet up the incarceration of political opponents.
—Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torturers
Noun
-
If the tormenters keep it up, grackles do eventually move.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Feb. 2026
-
And her tormentors are all abruptly, painfully departing the scene or, at the very least, becoming ensnared in one humiliation after another.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Rashada’s recruitment played out in cryptic Twitter teases from a booster, Hugh Hathcock, and behind the scenes in text messages with eyeball emojis.—
Matt Baker,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
-
As winter lingers and spring teases, Stewart reveals how home gardeners can make the most of this in-between moment.—
Maddie Topliff,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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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
-
Amish are part of the wider Anabaptist movement, which puts heavy emphasis on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, containing some of his most radical and counter-cultural sayings — to love enemies, live simply, bless persecutors, turn the other cheek and to endure sufferings joyfully.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Executive visibility now cuts both ways Each social media post, keynote address, podcast appearance, and earnings call involving your CEO provides potential training data for attackers.—
James Richardson,
Fortune,
3 Mar. 2026
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Villa got into a groove, emboldened by attackers in rhythm and few fitness concerns.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Along with Al Raby, head of the Coordinating Council of Community Organizations, Jackson helped select Marquette Park as the target for a 1966 fair housing march, at which racist white hecklers infamously threw rocks, bricks and bottles and hit King in the head.—
David Greising,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Feb. 2026
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Nanjiani, 44, became famous for stand-up comedy based on his real-life experiences, including growing up in Pakistan, moving to Iowa for college at 18, and dealing with racist hecklers as a Muslim post-9/11.—
Kylie Gilbert,
InStyle,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Torturers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torturers. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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