torment

1 of 2

noun

tor·​ment ˈtȯr-ˌment How to pronounce torment (audio)
1
: extreme pain or anguish of body or mind : agony
She wrung her hands piteously together, looking like a soul in torment.Lucy Maud Montgomery
2
: a source of vexation or pain
Love is a delight; but hate a torment.Herman Melville
… the twin torments of his probable manic depression and chronic stomach pains.Neal Karlen
3
: the infliction of torture (as by rack or wheel)

torment

2 of 2

verb

tormented; tormenting; torments

transitive verb

1
: to cause severe usually persistent or recurrent distress of body or mind to
cattle tormented by flies
tormented by doubt
She liked me, but she laughed at me, and tormented me …Charles Dickens
2
tormented adjective
… Emily—who is easily one of the most tormented characters of the show … Rowan Born
The Witch makes the mundane sinister, from the tormented shapes of the corn husks in the field to the weird glow of pewter by candlelight. Katy Waldman
Choose the Right Synonym for torment

afflict, try, torment, torture, rack mean to inflict on a person something that is hard to bear.

afflict is a general term and applies to the causing of pain or suffering or of acute annoyance, embarrassment, or any distress.

ills that afflict the elderly

try suggests imposing something that strains the powers of endurance or of self-control.

children often try their parents' patience

torment suggests persecution or the repeated inflicting of suffering or annoyance.

a horse tormented by flies

torture adds the implication of causing unbearable pain or suffering.

tortured by a sense of guilt

rack stresses straining or wrenching.

a body racked by pain

Examples of torment in a Sentence

Noun No one could understand his inner torment. After years of torment, she left her husband. The mosquitoes were a constant torment. Verb Not knowing where she was tormented him. he was tormented by nightmares about the accident
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
That tag, while technically a hint at sequels to come, is also a sign that just as the monster never truly goes away, neither does Koichi’s torment. Esther Zuckerman, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2024 According to Vance, the latest assault on Trump’s prerogatives has taken the form of legislation designed to aid our partners abroad in their fights against America’s enemies, and the authors of the former president’s forthcoming torment are his fellow Republicans. Noah Rothman, National Review, 12 Feb. 2024 An assertive Jimmy Butler who can torment teams not only in the post and mid-range, but better than ever before from distance. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 9 Feb. 2024 Angelo Posada, the unbeaten and top-ranked 175-pound wrestler in California, outlined the philosophy embedded in abject exhaustion and mental torment. Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 2024 Hoping to end the torment, the king dispatches his knights to discover the source of the mysterious events. Valerie Wu, Variety, 10 Oct. 2023 Egwene's capture and torment in the books is a cornerstone of her character, and this episode is tough to watch in places. Andrew Cunningham & Lee Hutchinson, Ars Technica, 22 Sep. 2023 Ever the chronicler of psychological torment, Durkin dwells on Kevin’s perspective as cascading episodes of drug abuse, physical decline and mental anguish affect those closest to him. Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 19 Dec. 2023 Even for SoundCloud, a platform notorious for its exhaustive catalog of sounds, SoundCloud rap—rebellious, drug-friendly, and swirling with tales of torment—was like nothing else on the scene. Jason Parham, WIRED, 14 Jan. 2024
Verb
Tires will see Will (Steven Gerben) tormented by his cousin/employee Shane (Gillis) after inheriting his father’s chain of auto-repair shops. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 26 Feb. 2024 Kimmel, once an anodyne bro, now cheerfully torments the far-right conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell and keeps tabs on the antics of the Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2024 That has tormented the people who actually live there, according to a woman whose home is just feet away from the impression, and resulted in numerous calls to police. Kat Tenbarge, NBC News, 24 Jan. 2024 The Green Bay running back found a new, and most painful, way to torment the all-time rushing leader's former team. Schuyler Dixon, USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2024 Christmas Vacation excels best in the chaos, from Clark’s yuppie neighbors being perpetually tormented by him to the anarchic family dinners (blissfully unaware Aunt Bethany is our personal MVP). Andrew Walsh, EW.com, 12 Dec. 2023 The introduction of increasingly sophisticated AI is amplifying fears that the technology will malfunction and misbehave on its own, or be manipulated by people for sinister purposes such as spreading misinformation in politics or to torment their enemies. Michael Liedtke, Fortune, 9 Feb. 2024 Santana, a veteran with 14 years of major league experience, has long tormented Twins pitchers, playing for two different division foes. Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2024 From her freshman season, Clark tormented the male managers and team assistants who tried to guard her in practice, raining gleeful profanities after each jumper. Matt Flegenheimer, New York Times, 6 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'torment.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French turment, torment, from Latin tormentum torture; akin to torquēre to twist — more at torture entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of torment was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near torment

Cite this Entry

“Torment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/torment. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

torment

1 of 2 noun
tor·​ment ˈtȯr-ˌment How to pronounce torment (audio)
1
: extreme pain or distress of body or mind
2
: a cause of suffering in mind or body

torment

2 of 2 verb
tor·​ment tȯr-ˈment How to pronounce torment (audio)
ˈtȯr-ˌment
1
: to cause severe suffering of body or mind to
2
: to cause worry, distress, or trouble to : harass
tormentor
tȯr-ˈment-ər
ˈtȯr-ˌment-
noun

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