1
as in agony
a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness
the released soldiers gave interviews trying to explain to civilians the torment that prisoners of war experience
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in distress
a state of great suffering of body or mind
was in torment for weeks after he broke up with his girlfriend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to plague
to cause persistent suffering to
he was tormented by nightmares about the accident
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of torment
Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 30 Aug. 2025
In Aronofsky’s cinematic universe, the ability to endure physical punishment functions as a touchstone for power, and, in his best work, torment takes on an intensely intimate dimension, creating extreme contrast with the larger dramatic landscape on which the action is stretched.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2025
Alec Lewis, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025
Josh Allen is familiar with Aaron Glenn, having tormented his defense last year.
—Gladys Louise Tyler, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for torment
Noun
His icy, anguished eyes—though both are the same color—convey all the torment a misfit on Earth might feel.
—Verb
Another week, another young quarterback with minimal experience for Flores to torment.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for torment
Noun
-
The agony is still fresh for Katie and Clarke Baker, whose 8-year-old daughter Mary Grace perished in the flooding.—
-
The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, the camaraderie of being among other adults who left the house in full face paint.—
Noun
-
Get alerts if the system detects acute distress.—
-
Just continue to watch for any signs of distress, and if something else develops, see a vet.—
Noun
-
But vanquishing his demons against the team for which his on-field struggles were most highly publicized would be a cathartic endeavor.—
-
However, he is born out of the same need to release music, to release the demons that are entering his brain.—
Verb
-
Pearsall appeared to have reaggravated his knee injury that was plaguing him all week, and he was pulled from the game.—
-
The key race heats up as instances of violence continue to plague the Big Apple.—
Noun
-
The combination of DePrimeo and Rotondi simply overpowered Masco (3-1), and that duo is bound to cause nightmares for opposing lines all season.—
-
Having your mouth taped shut is the stuff of nightmares — but some people are doing just that to themselves.—
Noun
-
ElAttrache recommended a shoulder debridement to relieve the pain Stewart has continued to feel in his shoulder.—
-
For now, love evades understanding—which means that finding someone will remain, much of the time, a pain in the ass.—
Noun
-
Antifa is now a 'domestic terror group' Trump declared Antifa a domestic terror organization in a new White House Executive Order signed Monday evening.—
-
He was charged with having a weapon at a public assembly or rally and going armed to the terror of people, both misdemeanors.—
Verb
-
Love for our enemies and love for those who persecute us.—
-
Leatherface attacks, but the real villains turn out to be the townsfolk who persecuted the Sawyers after the original massacre.—
Cite this Entry
“Torment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torment. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share