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
Sean Durns, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
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
Verb
And targeting, torturing, and murdering political opponents, rivals, and critics have marked the conflict since its beginning.
—Sean Durns, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
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
-
The former human-rights lawyer entered on a tourist visa and filed for political asylum in October of that year, claiming the governments that succeeded Correa were persecuting him.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
-
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
Verb
-
Dialogue stays clear even during heavy action scenes, and the bass has the depth to rattle without distorting.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
12 Sep. 2025
-
His team accused Whatley of distorting the facts to cover for his support of federal policies that reduced funding for local police.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Sep. 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
-
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
-
The researchers were able to glean more information about the event by analyzing the gravitational waves – distortions in space-time caused by powerful cosmic events – produced as the black hole bounced away from the site of its parents' rendezvous.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Fundraises add another layer of distortion.—
Alla Adam,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Large swaths of eastern Colorado have evaded the drought plaguing most of the state west of 25.—
John Meyer,
Denver Post,
10 Sep. 2025
-
The group discussed several issues still plaguing the towing industry and vehicle owners after the legislature overhauled the state’s more than 100-year-old law in May.—
Dave Altimari,
ProPublica,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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For athletes across all sports, few experiences are as agonizing as being forced to leave competition with a sudden muscle cramp.—
Michael Hales,
The Conversation,
9 Sep. 2025
-
The crux of this tale is now an agonizing decision that Joan has to make, egged on by her rather flighty coordinator Ryan (John Early), who is competing against Anna to make this all work.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Services cover conditions such as brain tumors, spine deformities, and chronic neck and back pain.—
Chase Jordan,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Sep. 2025
-
These imaging scans help provide a better look at the bones to detect fractures, bone deformities, infections, and abnormalities like tumors.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Health,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Torturing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torturing. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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