tortured; torturing
ˈtȯrch-riŋ 
ˈtȯr-chə-
1
: to cause intense suffering to : torment
2
: to punish or coerce by inflicting excruciating pain
Synonyms
Examples of torture in a Sentence
Noun
Waiting is just torture for me.
Listening to him can be torture.
Verb
The report revealed that prisoners had been repeatedly tortured.
Don't torture yourself over the mistake.
Recent Examples on the Web
Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
The most common methods of torture include beatings, electric shocks, threats of execution, mock executions and positional torture.
—Katya Soldak, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
McAlpin and Hartfield are two of the six former Rankin County sheriff’s deputies who admitted to subjecting two Black men, Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker, to acts of racist torture.
—Tom Junod, NBC News, 21 Mar. 2024
Related article ‘Goon Squad’ leader and another deputy sentenced for torture of two Black men.
—Emma Tucker, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024
Former Rankin County sheriff's deputy Christian Dedmon was sentenced to 40 years in prison during a hearing in federal court in Jackson, Mississippi, on Wednesday for his role in two attacks, including the torture of two Black men, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
—Deena Zaru, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2024
During the hours-long torture last year, deputy Hunter Elward shot Michael Jenkins in the mouth.
—Emily Palmer, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024
The dynamic between the parents and the perpetrators steadily escalates from politeness to hostility to eventual torture, all while maintaining a frustrating attitude of inevitability and justification toward the former’s fate.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 27 Mar. 2024
Rope, handcuffs and a bowl of cayenne pepper paste were among the torture devices police uncovered at momfluencer Ruby Franke’s therapist’s home this summer.
—Emily Palmer, Peoplemag, 26 Mar. 2024
Amber Ferguson, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
Crackdown on Protests: U.N. investigators said that the Iranian authorities killed, tortured and raped many in their brutal repression of protests that erupted over the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who was arrested for allegedly wearing her hijab incorrectly.
—Ronen Bergman, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Parents plead no contest to killing and torturing their 4-year-old son, Noah Cuatro.
—Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2024
One Ukrainian soldier captured in Zaporizhzhia in November, 2023, was tortured during interrogation.
—Katya Soldak, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
At Smith’s trial, jurors were shown hard-to-watch footage of Smith torturing her there.
—Christine Pelisek, Peoplemag, 27 Mar. 2024
But they were captured during a battle against the military on November 7 last year, and taken to a nearby village, where they were tortured and killed by a pro-junta militia under the watch of Myanmar army soldiers, according to witnesses.
—Helen Regan, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024
Suspects appeared to be tortured In their court appearance, the suspects appeared to have been tortured, Reuters reported.
—George Petras, USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024
Engagement in delinquent behavior is common, specifically having a fascination with setting fires and harming or torturing animals.
—Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 21 Mar. 2024
Noun
In 1999, the Israeli Supreme Court stepped in after pleas from human rights organizations and ruled that torture of Palestinians at the hands of Shin Bet, the country’s domestic security agency, was generally prohibited.
—Tracy Wilkinson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
The most common methods of torture include beatings, electric shocks, threats of execution, mock executions and positional torture.
—Katya Soldak, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
McAlpin and Hartfield are two of the six former Rankin County sheriff’s deputies who admitted to subjecting two Black men, Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker, to acts of racist torture.
—Tom Junod, NBC News, 21 Mar. 2024
Related article ‘Goon Squad’ leader and another deputy sentenced for torture of two Black men.
—Emma Tucker, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024
Former Rankin County sheriff's deputy Christian Dedmon was sentenced to 40 years in prison during a hearing in federal court in Jackson, Mississippi, on Wednesday for his role in two attacks, including the torture of two Black men, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
—Deena Zaru, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2024
During the hours-long torture last year, deputy Hunter Elward shot Michael Jenkins in the mouth.
—Emily Palmer, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024
The dynamic between the parents and the perpetrators steadily escalates from politeness to hostility to eventual torture, all while maintaining a frustrating attitude of inevitability and justification toward the former’s fate.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 27 Mar. 2024
Rope, handcuffs and a bowl of cayenne pepper paste were among the torture devices police uncovered at momfluencer Ruby Franke’s therapist’s home this summer.
—Emily Palmer, Peoplemag, 26 Mar. 2024
Verb
Then came a reckoning. Dec. 5, 2023 What home schooling hides: A boy tortured and starved by his stepmom
Dec. 2, 2023
Their sons’ lives ended in gunfire.
—Amber Ferguson, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2024
Crackdown on Protests: U.N. investigators said that the Iranian authorities killed, tortured and raped many in their brutal repression of protests that erupted over the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who was arrested for allegedly wearing her hijab incorrectly.
—Ronen Bergman, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Parents plead no contest to killing and torturing their 4-year-old son, Noah Cuatro.
—Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2024
One Ukrainian soldier captured in Zaporizhzhia in November, 2023, was tortured during interrogation.
—Katya Soldak, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
At Smith’s trial, jurors were shown hard-to-watch footage of Smith torturing her there.
—Christine Pelisek, Peoplemag, 27 Mar. 2024
But they were captured during a battle against the military on November 7 last year, and taken to a nearby village, where they were tortured and killed by a pro-junta militia under the watch of Myanmar army soldiers, according to witnesses.
—Helen Regan, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024
Suspects appeared to be tortured In their court appearance, the suspects appeared to have been tortured, Reuters reported.
—George Petras, USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024
Engagement in delinquent behavior is common, specifically having a fascination with setting fires and harming or torturing animals.
—Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 21 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'torture.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Torture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/torture. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
torture
1 of 2 noun
tor·ture
ˈtȯr-chər
1
: distress of body or mind
2
: the causing of great pain especially to punish or to obtain a confession
torture
2 of 2 verb
tortured; torturing
ˈtȯrch-(ə-)riŋ
1
: to cause great suffering to
2
: to punish or force someone to do or say something by causing great pain
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