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torture

/ˈtoɹt͡ʃɚ/noun, verb2 syllables

Torture means: the act of distorting something so it seems to mean something it was not intended to mean.

Synonyms for torture25

noun, as in the act of distorting something so it seems to mean something it was not intended to mean

distortion, overrefinement, straining, twisting

noun, as in extreme mental distress

anguish, torment

noun, as in intense feelings of suffering; acute mental or physical pain

agony, torment

noun, as in unbearable physical pain

torment

noun, as in the deliberate, systematic, or wanton infliction of physical or mental suffering by one or more persons in an attempt to force another person to yield information or to make a confession or for any other reason

torturing

verb, as in torment emotionally or mentally

torment, excruciate, rack

verb, as in subject to torture

excruciate, torment

also used for torture

enhanced interrogation techniques, rend, difficulty, distress, grief, hardship, pain, smart, enhanced interrogation, afflict, ache, aggrieve, agonize, dere, hurt

Includes material from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

What does torture mean?7

noun

1

the act of distorting something so it seems to mean something it was not intended to mean

2

extreme mental distress

3

intense feelings of suffering; acute mental or physical pain“an agony of doubt”

4

unbearable physical pain

5

the deliberate, systematic, or wanton infliction of physical or mental suffering by one or more persons in an attempt to force another person to yield information or to make a confession or for any other reason“it required unnatural torturing to extract a confession”

verb

1

torment emotionally or mentally

2

subject to torture“The sinners will be tormented in Hell, according to the Bible”

Definitions from the Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Torture in a sentence

  • Crimes against humanity, from genocide to torture, must be met with justice.Amastan
  • He didn't divulge the information, not even under pain of torture.darinmex
  • Even a fly feels, when you torture it.carlosalberto
  • Murder, rape, and torture are atrocities associated with times of war.AlanF_US
  • After fifteen years of no service, the bathrooms looked like a torture chamber.acell
  • As a mercenary, did you participate in torture sessions?Amastan
  • If they catch you alive, they'll torture you to death.OsoHombre
  • Subjected to torture, he confessed to the crime that he hadn't committed.AlanF_US

Sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR, credited to their authors.

Forms of torture

as a noun

plural
tortures

as a verb

past tense
tortured
present participle
torturing
third-person singular
tortures
past participle
tortured