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
Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
Some 800 film professionals, including Oscar winners Juliette Binoche, Marion Cotillard and director Yorgos Lanthimos, have signed a joint statement condemning the Iranian government’s brutal crackdown on protestors, calling out Tehran’s killing and torturing of its own people.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 21 Jan. 2026
Derek Tran, Oc Register, 6 Mar. 2026
Draughan was arraigned Thursday on two counts of second-degree killing/torturing animals, one count of felony firearms, one count of cruelty to an animal resulting in the animal's death, and one count of abandoning animals.
—Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
Ida, meanwhile, is a crime society floozy in 1930s Great Depression Chicago, an escort to a coterie of goombahs who take to mentally torturing her over dinner and drinks in a speakeasy.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 4 Mar. 2026
Experts have a long history of torturing us with predictions about how technology will wipe us out, first our jobs and then just getting rid of us altogether because humans are a bother.
—Peter Cappelli, Fortune, 28 Feb. 2026
According to court records, Quero Silva is defending himself against the new federal lawsuit accusing him of torturing the protestors in Barquisimeto.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
Yorgos Lanthimos, Florian Zeller and Juliette Binoche are among more than 800 film professionals who have signed a joint statement condemning the Iranian government for killing and torturing its own people.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 21 Jan. 2026
Dan Bujor, who lives out of a school bus parked in Long Island City, was arrested Sunday on charges including overdriving animals, torturing and injuring animals and failure to provide sustenance, in addition to driving without a license, in connection with the bizarre incident, cops said.
—Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 6 Jan. 2026
Apparently, Lee couldn’t take Karl-Anthony Towns, who posted 19 points and 10 rebounds, torturing them on the interior and decided to change the look via the lineup.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 27 Nov. 2025
Noun
Darnell Lamar Robinson, 54, is charged with a felony count of second-degree killing/torturing of an animal and a misdemeanor count of abandoning and cruelty to an animal.
—Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
Some 800 film professionals, including Oscar winners Juliette Binoche, Marion Cotillard and director Yorgos Lanthimos, have signed a joint statement condemning the Iranian government’s brutal crackdown on protestors, calling out Tehran’s killing and torturing of its own people.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 21 Jan. 2026
Verb
The Ayatollah ruled as a brutal dictator, killing and torturing his own people, imposing harsh restrictions on basic freedoms, and put the lives of our troops and global allies constantly at risk.
—Derek Tran, Oc Register, 6 Mar. 2026
Draughan was arraigned Thursday on two counts of second-degree killing/torturing animals, one count of felony firearms, one count of cruelty to an animal resulting in the animal's death, and one count of abandoning animals.
—Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
Ida, meanwhile, is a crime society floozy in 1930s Great Depression Chicago, an escort to a coterie of goombahs who take to mentally torturing her over dinner and drinks in a speakeasy.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 4 Mar. 2026
Experts have a long history of torturing us with predictions about how technology will wipe us out, first our jobs and then just getting rid of us altogether because humans are a bother.
—Peter Cappelli, Fortune, 28 Feb. 2026
According to court records, Quero Silva is defending himself against the new federal lawsuit accusing him of torturing the protestors in Barquisimeto.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
Yorgos Lanthimos, Florian Zeller and Juliette Binoche are among more than 800 film professionals who have signed a joint statement condemning the Iranian government for killing and torturing its own people.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 21 Jan. 2026
Dan Bujor, who lives out of a school bus parked in Long Island City, was arrested Sunday on charges including overdriving animals, torturing and injuring animals and failure to provide sustenance, in addition to driving without a license, in connection with the bizarre incident, cops said.
—Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 6 Jan. 2026
Apparently, Lee couldn’t take Karl-Anthony Towns, who posted 19 points and 10 rebounds, torturing them on the interior and decided to change the look via the lineup.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 27 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torturing
Adjective
-
These four novels create a convincing, wrenching, kaleidoscopic picture of the range and repetitions of the most fatal kind of love; the sort of love that allows nothing else to grow around it, that eradicates all dignity; a love which, in order to be completed, must be told.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Feb. 2026
-
What's going on is absolutely heart-wrenching.—
Kiki Intarasuwan,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Additionally, the screen uses auto-smoothing flex glass, which is resistant to deformation and better able to recover its original shape.—
Eric Zeman,
PC Magazine,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Next, the team wants to use digital reconstruction methods to correct deformation on other parts of the skull, such as the braincase, to reveal insights about the brain size of Little Foot — and potentially unlock clues about the cognitive abilities of our early human ancestors.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But so often left unsaid by Gu are the moral ambiguities that come with choosing to represent a country that has been heavily criticized by Human Rights Watch, among other watchdog groups, for denying rights of freedom of expression and for persecuting government critics.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Troops are occupying our cities and persecuting our people.—
Maria Guinnip,
Oklahoman,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Too many firms are incentivizing rapid rollout over results, distorting responsible deployment.—
K. H. Koehler,
AZCentral.com,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The lens shift, in the vertical direction only, offers similar flexibility for adjusting the projector's height relative to the screen without tilting the projector and distorting the image.—
M. David Stone,
PC Magazine,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
But those torturous years groomed an expert technician.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The point is that in a pinch, Apple’s low-cost MacBook can handle its share of work without slowing to a crawl or feeling torturous to deal with.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The first AirPods Max was lauded for its great sound with the company's in-house 40-mm driver designed for exceptionally low harmonic distortion.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Disfavored, false speech still protected by First Amendment In both his X post and elsewhere, including a Senate committee hearing in December, Carr invoked policies related to news distortion and public interest standards that FCC licensees are required to follow.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The report is among the latest examples of the affordability crisis plaguing Americans who are struggling to afford the cost of living amid stubbornly high prices for food, housing, utilities and other necessities.—
Tami Luhby,
CNN Money,
12 Mar. 2026
-
CrowdStrike stock has slipped 7% this year, caught up in the broader sell-off plaguing the software industry.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
To make a profit from their business, American companies sent their manufacturing facilities overseas, screwing American workers by incurring smaller labor costs, therefore profiting rich investors who never had to work for it and used their money to make more money off the American consumer.—
Jay Reddick,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 Mar. 2026
-
All the setup required was screwing in the legs.—
Noah Kaufman,
Architectural Digest,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Torturing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torturing. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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