as in wrenching
intensely or unbearably painful
watched the final torturing moments of the game as the lead constantly shifted between the two teams
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in deformation
the twisting of something out of a natural or normal shape or condition
fans of the natural look frown on the torturing of garden trees and shrubs into fantastic shapes
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in persecuting
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 distorting
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
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Recent Examples of torturing
Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 3 Sep. 2025
Emmett was just 14 when he was kidnapped from his great-uncle’s house by two White men who later admitted to beating and torturing the teen before shooting him in the head and throwing his body into the Tallahatchie River, weighed down by a 75-pound cotton gin fan.
—Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2025
Hey, the current state of late-night TV is probably torturing him enough.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2025
Anastasia Palulis, 38, and Robert Palulis, 48, were charged with 22 misdemeanor counts under New York's agriculture and markets law of overdriving, torturing and injuring animals; failure to provide proper sustenance.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2025
Despite maintaining his innocence, Kraft was convicted in 1989 of torturing and killing 16 men throughout California in a case that horrified the nation.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2025
The boyfriend accused of torturing his girlfriend alongside his mother in a horrific Bronx slaying, then evading cops for a week made his first appearance in court.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 4 Aug. 2025
Verb
Jamie Simpson of Covington was sentenced in March to 60 years in prison for holding his wife captive and torturing her for hours before barricading himself inside her home in a lengthy standoff with police.
—Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 3 Sep. 2025
Emmett was just 14 when he was kidnapped from his great-uncle’s house by two White men who later admitted to beating and torturing the teen before shooting him in the head and throwing his body into the Tallahatchie River, weighed down by a 75-pound cotton gin fan.
—Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2025
Hey, the current state of late-night TV is probably torturing him enough.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2025
Anastasia Palulis, 38, and Robert Palulis, 48, were charged with 22 misdemeanor counts under New York's agriculture and markets law of overdriving, torturing and injuring animals; failure to provide proper sustenance.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2025
Despite maintaining his innocence, Kraft was convicted in 1989 of torturing and killing 16 men throughout California in a case that horrified the nation.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 23 Aug. 2025
The boyfriend accused of torturing his girlfriend alongside his mother in a horrific Bronx slaying, then evading cops for a week made his first appearance in court.
—Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torturing
Noun
-
The results showed that at a pressure of 69 gigapascals (GPa), the diamond only exhibited elastic deformation, retaining its defect-free lattice.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Aug. 2025
-
Past studies have observed tissue deformations that suggest cells apply force — when migrating and invading tumors, for example — and Ojosnegros and his team wanted to explore the hypothesis that this also happens in implantation.—
Leslie Katz,
Forbes.com,
17 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
For 25 years, Chavism has co-opted Venezuela's infrastructure for its own enrichment, persecuting journalists and opposition, wrecking the economy, and leaving its citizens in poverty.—
Kristina Foltz,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
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In July, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for two of the Taliban’s top leaders, accusing them of persecuting women and girls in Afghanistan, which the group dismissed.—
Astha Rajvanshi,
NBC news,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Its chief executive, Ian Choudri, has accused the FRA of distorting data.—
Ben Jones,
CNN Money,
8 Sep. 2025
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This causes the orbits to contract, shifting the orbits of the other electrons, distorting their chemical properties.—
David Szondy
August 27,
New Atlas,
27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Within the film’s compact running time, writer-director Ben Hania traces the fraught and torturous hours of January 29, 2024, when Palestine Red Crescent volunteers in the West Bank tried to calm a terrified 6-year-old girl and get an ambulance to her in Gaza.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2025
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From the almost humorous to the truly torturous, being plunked into unknown wilderness in total isolation—which is what happens on Alone—results in all manner of strange mental phenomenon.—
Woniya Thibeault,
Outside,
26 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Nicholas is especially attuned to how the distortion of visual perception can trigger a cascade of runaway mental and physical responses.—
Scott Stossel,
The Atlantic,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Audio and video calls were clear and free of distortion on both platforms in testing.—
John Brandon,
PC Magazine,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Or why this situation remains indicative of bigger issues plaguing our country, then and now?—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
6 Sep. 2025
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While the problems plaguing humanity — from political strife to poverty to natural disasters — might seem overwhelming, Dorantes said the property’s history illustrates how much the world can actually change.—
Angie Leventis Lourgos,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Their youngest son, Grayson, can still recall the day his parents reported to their separate facilities — and the agonizing decision of who to accompany.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Sep. 2025
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To see Gauff and Shelton live through the rollercoaster was agonizing and uplifting at the same time.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Bouton, who endured yearslong treatment for spinal deformities that could have caused paralysis eventually, is happy to be playing at all.—
Dave Melton,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Sep. 2025
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For spinal deformity patients, many of whom have complex medical comorbidities, the anesthesia team maintains safety throughout the procedure.—
Richard Menger MD MPA,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Torturing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torturing. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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