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
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
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
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torturers
Noun
-
That their tormentors were not untouchable.—
Nazanin Boniadi,
Time,
11 Mar. 2026
-
If the tormenters keep it up, grackles do eventually move.—
Michael Barnes,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
During that time, Flair and Ripley have largely been on the same page, but there have been plenty of teases of tension as well.—
Blake Oestriecher,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
-
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly ahead of the season 1 finale, showrunners Brandon Margolis and Brandon Sonnier offered several teases of what to expect in season 2.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 May 2026
Noun
-
Still, the star did not name her harassers.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
22 May 2026
-
Most harassers do not harass others in front of someone else.—
Briana Mascaro,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
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
-
Bukayo Saka — England/Arsenal Saka suffers a little here from Mikel Arteta’s tactical approach depressing the final third production of all Arsenal’s attackers.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
-
Local authorities in Pakistan said Tuesday that security forces killed eight attackers and thwarted an attempt to seize the checkpoint.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
Any comedian that’s good with dealing with hecklers lost to hecklers many, many times coming up.—
Steve Appleford,
SPIN,
1 June 2026
-
Yes, freedom of expression applies to hecklers, too.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Torturers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torturers. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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