Torment — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈtȯr-ˌment/ (noun) /tȯr-ˈment/ (verb) tor·ment

Meaning & Definition of Torment

Torment (noun)

  1. extreme pain or anguish of body or mind, agony
  2. a source of vexation or pain
  3. the infliction of torture (as by rack or wheel)

Torment (verb)

  1. to cause severe usually persistent or recurrent distress of body or mind to
  2. distort, twist

Torment (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: agony, Gehenna, hell, horror, misery, murder, nightmare, torture
    related: affliction, calvary, cross, curse, ordeal, trial, tribulation, calamity, misfortune, tragedy, gall, thorn, bummer, downer, drag
    opposite: heaven, paradise
    near: delight, diversion, entertainment, fun, joy, pleasure, recreation, lark, picnic, riot

  2. a state of great suffering of body or mind

    "was in torment for weeks after he broke up with his girlfriend"

    similar: affliction, agony, anguish, distress, excruciation, hurt, misery, pain, rack, strait(s), torture, travail, tribulation, woe
    related: discomfort, cross, crucible, trial, heartache, heartbreak, joylessness, sadness, sorrow, unhappiness, emergency, pinch, asperity, difficulty, hardship, rigor, ache, pang, smarting, soreness, stitch, throe, twinge, danger, jeopardy, trouble
    near: comfort, consolation, solace, alleviation, assuagement, ease, relief, peace, security, well-being

  3. a source of persistent emotional distress

    "insomnia that was caused by a host of nighttime torments"

    similar: affliction, demon, hang-up, terror
    related: bête noire, bogey, bugaboo, bugbear, hobgoblin, ogre

Torment (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to cause persistent suffering to

    "he was tormented by nightmares about the accident"

    similar: afflict, agonize, anguish, bedevil, beset, besiege, curse, excruciate, harrow, persecute, plague, rack, torture
    related: assail, attack, badger, dog, hound, pursue, ride, aggravate, agitate, annoy, bother, bug, chafe, distress, disturb, exasperate, gall, get, grate, gripe, hagride, harass, harry, irk, irritate, molest, nettle, peeve, pester, pique, put out, rasp, rile, vex, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, fluster, grieve, perturb, strain, stress, trouble, try, upset, worry, crush, oppress, overpower, overwhelm, smite, strike, tyrannize, victimize, hurt, pain, pang, prick, smart, stab, sting, wring, martyr
    near: abet, aid, assist, help, deliver, release, relieve, reprieve, comfort, console, content, quiet, solace, soothe, succor

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Torment

The most common words with a similar meaning to Torment:

agony, Gehenna, hell, horror, misery, murder, nightmare, torture, affliction, anguish, distress, excruciation, hurt, pain, rack, strait(s), travail, tribulation, woe, demon, hang-up, terror, afflict, agonize, bedevil, beset, besiege, curse, excruciate, harrow, persecute, plague

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Torment

Words with the opposite meaning of Torment:

heaven, paradise

Related Words for Torment

calvary, cross, ordeal, trial, calamity, misfortune, tragedy, gall, thorn, bummer, downer, drag, discomfort, crucible, heartache, heartbreak, joylessness, sadness, sorrow, unhappiness, emergency, pinch, asperity, difficulty, hardship, rigor, ache, pang, smarting, soreness

Near Antonyms of Torment

delight, diversion, entertainment, fun, joy, pleasure, recreation, lark, picnic, riot, comfort, consolation, solace, alleviation, assuagement, ease, relief, peace, security, well-being, abet, aid, assist, help, deliver, release, relieve, reprieve, console, content

Word Forms of Torment

Inflections: tormented, tormenting, torments

Derived words: tormented (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Torment

Middle English, from Anglo-French turment, torment, from Latin tormentum torture; akin to torquēre to twist torture:1

First known use: 13th century

Words & Phrases Containing Torment

self-torment

Frequently Asked Questions about Torment

What does "Torment" mean?

"Torment" means extreme pain or anguish of body or mind, agony. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: extreme pain or anguish of body or mind, agony. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Torment"?

Other words for "Torment" include agony, Gehenna, hell, horror, misery, murder, nightmare and torture. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Torment" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Torment"?

There are 130 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Torment". Common alternatives include agony, Gehenna, hell, horror, misery, murder, nightmare, torture, affliction and anguish.

What is the opposite of "Torment"?

Antonyms of "Torment" include heaven and paradise. Near antonyms include delight, diversion, entertainment and fun.

How do you use "Torment" in a sentence?

Examples of "Torment" in a sentence: "the released soldiers gave interviews trying to explain to civilians the torment that prisoners of war experience"; "was in torment for weeks after he broke up with his girlfriend"; "insomnia that was caused by a host of nighttime torments".

Is "Torment" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Torment" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Torment"?

"Torment" is pronounced /ˈtȯr-ˌment/ as a noun and /tȯr-ˈment/ as a verb and divided into syllables as tor·ment.

What is the origin of the word "Torment"?

"Torment" comes from Middle English, from Anglo-French turment, torment, from Latin tormentum torture; akin to torquēre to twist torture:1. First known use: 13th century.