as in wrenching
intensely or unbearably painful
watched the final torturing moments of the game as the lead constantly shifted between the two teams
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in deformation
the twisting of something out of a natural or normal shape or condition
fans of the natural look frown on the torturing of garden trees and shrubs into fantastic shapes
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in persecuting
to cause persistent suffering to
the neighbor's dog constantly tortures our cat, barking at him and chasing him down the street
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in distorting
to twist (something) out of a natural or normal shape or condition
tortured her naturally straight hair into curls
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of torturing
Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
Some 800 film professionals, including Oscar winners Juliette Binoche, Marion Cotillard and director Yorgos Lanthimos, have signed a joint statement condemning the Iranian government’s brutal crackdown on protestors, calling out Tehran’s killing and torturing of its own people.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 21 Jan. 2026
Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 28 Apr. 2026
The briefing came days after Tierney secured a guilty plea from another Long Island serial killer, Rex Heuermann, who is expected to be sentenced in June after admitting to torturing and killing eight women.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
And which society is torturing the poets?
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 21 Apr. 2026
The two defendants are Kevin Murray and Devon Daniels, who are convicted of murder, but have maintained their innocence and accused Kato of torturing them.
—Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
The cartel has been accused of using fake job advertisements to lure new members and of torturing and killing recruits who resist.
—CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
No such rules appear to exist for Saudi Arabia, whose leaders have been accused of arbitrarily arresting, jailing and torturing people who speak out against the government.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 9 Apr. 2026
The Netherlands and Canada have brought a separate case against Syria at the United Nations’ top court, accusing Damascus of a yearslong campaign of torturing its own citizens.
—ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
With Irene threatening Billie, Joe skulks back to his cement cell, but hears Irene torturing Billie in the next room.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Apr. 2026
Noun
Yaldo was arraigned on March 20 on one count of third-degree killing/torturing of animals, a four-year felony, and given a $75,000 bond.
—Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026
Some 800 film professionals, including Oscar winners Juliette Binoche, Marion Cotillard and director Yorgos Lanthimos, have signed a joint statement condemning the Iranian government’s brutal crackdown on protestors, calling out Tehran’s killing and torturing of its own people.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 21 Jan. 2026
Verb
The coastal Georgia man arrested in 2018 and accused of torturing, killing and burying his two teenage children in the backyard of the family’s mobile home will spend the rest of his life behind bars after reaching a plea deal.
—Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 28 Apr. 2026
The briefing came days after Tierney secured a guilty plea from another Long Island serial killer, Rex Heuermann, who is expected to be sentenced in June after admitting to torturing and killing eight women.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026
And which society is torturing the poets?
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 21 Apr. 2026
The two defendants are Kevin Murray and Devon Daniels, who are convicted of murder, but have maintained their innocence and accused Kato of torturing them.
—Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
The cartel has been accused of using fake job advertisements to lure new members and of torturing and killing recruits who resist.
—CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
No such rules appear to exist for Saudi Arabia, whose leaders have been accused of arbitrarily arresting, jailing and torturing people who speak out against the government.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 9 Apr. 2026
The Netherlands and Canada have brought a separate case against Syria at the United Nations’ top court, accusing Damascus of a yearslong campaign of torturing its own citizens.
—ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
With Irene threatening Billie, Joe skulks back to his cement cell, but hears Irene torturing Billie in the next room.
—Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torturing
Adjective
-
Another wrenching question, of course, is whether at least the younger Perez siblings would want or need to go with Olga to Guatemala if she were deported.—
Tim Padgett,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Mar. 2026
-
These four novels create a convincing, wrenching, kaleidoscopic picture of the range and repetitions of the most fatal kind of love; the sort of love that allows nothing else to grow around it, that eradicates all dignity; a love which, in order to be completed, must be told.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The design also features guide tubes made of Q12 alloy to resist fuel assembly bowing and lateral deformation.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Apr. 2026
-
This deformation and discoloration are attributed to the excessive heat some bricks experience in the firing process.—
Tim Carter,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Saddam towered over Iraq’s political regime for nearly 30 years, plunging the country into multiple destructive wars, persecuting his own citizens and inflicting widespread trauma and suffering.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The order also accused the Cuban government of persecuting political opponents, suppressing free speech and the press, and committing other human rights violations—actions that have been documented by human rights organizations over the years.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Normalizing interactions where such limitations do not exist risks distorting the very standard by which human love is measured.—
Oluwaseun Damilola Sanwoolu,
The Conversation,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The front has square glass block masonry on the lower half, which lets light in while reducing what's visible outside by distorting the view.—
Stefan Ionescu
March 30,
New Atlas,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Activists claim the animals were living in torturous conditions and were being used for medical research.—
Brady Halbleib,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
-
But sad books need not be torturous books.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Well, first of all, the news distortion stuff is also nonsense, right?—
Josef Adalian,
Vulture,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The other is a deliberate distortion.—
Baltimore Sun,
Twin Cities,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Windy conditions will still be plaguing most of Colorado on Thursday.—
Dave Aguilera,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
-
However, this isn’t a question only plaguing actors.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Remove the shower head by screwing it off counterclockwise.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
20 Apr. 2026
-
To make a profit from their business, American companies sent their manufacturing facilities overseas, screwing American workers by incurring smaller labor costs, therefore profiting rich investors who never had to work for it and used their money to make more money off the American consumer.—
Jay Reddick,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Torturing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torturing. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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