1
as in nightmares
a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness
it's torture for me to see you so unhappy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pains
a state of great suffering of body or mind
spent an afternoon in torture waiting to hear whether her brother had made it home safely
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in plagues
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 distorts
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tortures
Noun
-
Another memorable station in my suspicious/contrarian reading life, but minus points for the nightmares.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025 -
Well, the dearth of new functionality means 25H2 won’t create any compatibility nightmares or require a lengthy install process with multiple restarts.—
Michael Muchmore,
PC Magazine,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The polarising billionaire had spent only a few hours in prison upon his return from 15 years of self-exile in August 2023 before he was hospitalised after complaining of heart trouble and chest pains, prompting widespread scepticism and public outrage.—
Panarat Thepgumpanat,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
-
And the Zoned Lumbar Support offers focused support for your lower back, ensuring proper spinal alignment and reducing pressure on your lumbar region, helping to alleviate aches and pains.—
Sherrie Nachman,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Everything that plagues Chicago also plagues America.—
Heidi Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Aug. 2025
-
This temporary fix does nothing to resolve the chronic underfunding and instability that plagues these programs year after year.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Beyond 100 people, culture often fragments, communication distorts and the founder’s vision weakens.—
Jonathan Low,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Organizers have labelled the move a blatant act of erasure that distorts history — a stark contrast to the joy and visibility celebrated at the cookout.—
Essence,
Essence,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
All Quiet on the Western Front is a visually graphic portrayal of the horrors of war, earning four Academy Awards in 2023 — including Best International Feature Film.—
Jacqueline Weiss,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Kelley is chastised and eventually replaced by Gustave Gilbert (Colin Hanks), a rival psychologist with a different take, one that opposes Kelley’s more humanistic approach in defining the horrors of that time.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
With an almost modern-day Charlie Chaplin-esque physicality, Moss dances, contorts, and frolics amongst the shoes, their boxes, and fixtures in the store for a mesmerizing, can't-look-away effect.—
Roxanne Robinson,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Stewart contorts his face with a look of disbelief when asked if Montgomery has stayed on him.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Measles is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease caused by a virus that primarily, and most severely, afflicts children.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
19 Aug. 2025
-
Although there have been recent breakthroughs in the treatment of Alzheimer’s, no medication has succeeded in stopping or reversing the disease that afflicts more than 7 million Americans, a number projected to reach almost 13 million by 2050, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
This movement deforms a fault network stretching west, where shallow earthquake occur (shown in orange and red).—
David Bressan,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Tortures.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tortures. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share