1
as in nightmares
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 distresses
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
3
as in demons
a source of persistent emotional distress
insomnia that was caused by a host of nighttime torments
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in plagues
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 torments
Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
For example, Madrazo’s depiction of the daughters of El Cid echoes Yáñez’s treatment of Sebastian’s torments, and Guerrero has deeply studied Spanish baroque painting.
—Benjamin Lima
special Contributor, Dallas Morning News, 18 Mar. 2026
In that final part of the cycle—the writing part—were torments, perhaps even tortures, but good things happened.
—Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2026
Denver author Josiah Hesse was raised by Evangelical parents in churches that believe in the torments of hell, that their poverty is due to their sinfulness and lack of faith.
—Sandra Dallas, Denver Post, 1 Feb. 2026
The author delves into the torments PTSD causes Vietnam veterans as well as family dynamics.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 21 Dec. 2025
Hell is nevertheless filled with bloody and horrific torments.
—Claudia Roth Pierpont, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
But true to its Old Testament inspiration and underlying theology, there’s no knowing why God has sent these torments to Jacob and his town.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Morgan Phillips, FOXNews.com, 15 Dec. 2025
Decades before Pennywise torments the Loser's Club, members of the Maine Legion of White Decency, a white supremacist group, set fire to the Black Spot, a military speakeasy catering to Black patrons, with all of its revelers trapped inside.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Dec. 2025
Jigsaw torments blind guys, too.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 7 Nov. 2025
Hurricane Melissa torments Jamaica 'There have been loud bangs on the ceiling, and our doors are shaking.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
The Grabber hounds Finn through an old phone booth and torments Gwen through her dreams.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
In the face of such grave concerns, Alyoshka’s torments seem self-indulgent and frustrating, but his problem—whether to leave or stay—is far from insignificant.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
For example, Madrazo’s depiction of the daughters of El Cid echoes Yáñez’s treatment of Sebastian’s torments, and Guerrero has deeply studied Spanish baroque painting.
—Benjamin Lima
special Contributor, Dallas Morning News, 18 Mar. 2026
In that final part of the cycle—the writing part—were torments, perhaps even tortures, but good things happened.
—Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2026
Denver author Josiah Hesse was raised by Evangelical parents in churches that believe in the torments of hell, that their poverty is due to their sinfulness and lack of faith.
—Sandra Dallas, Denver Post, 1 Feb. 2026
The author delves into the torments PTSD causes Vietnam veterans as well as family dynamics.
—Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 21 Dec. 2025
Hell is nevertheless filled with bloody and horrific torments.
—Claudia Roth Pierpont, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
But true to its Old Testament inspiration and underlying theology, there’s no knowing why God has sent these torments to Jacob and his town.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Verb
That fear that torments families.
—Morgan Phillips, FOXNews.com, 15 Dec. 2025
Decades before Pennywise torments the Loser's Club, members of the Maine Legion of White Decency, a white supremacist group, set fire to the Black Spot, a military speakeasy catering to Black patrons, with all of its revelers trapped inside.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Dec. 2025
Jigsaw torments blind guys, too.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 7 Nov. 2025
Hurricane Melissa torments Jamaica 'There have been loud bangs on the ceiling, and our doors are shaking.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
The Grabber hounds Finn through an old phone booth and torments Gwen through her dreams.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torments
Noun
-
Someone breaking in the middle of the night … tying you up, these … are things that are nightmares.—
Lauren Clark,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
For once, the Fort Worth Zoo was not the cause of traffic nightmares on South University Boulevard.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
As Amadeus’ brilliance continues to flourish in spite of his personal demons, a questionable reputation and scepticism from the conservative court, Salieri becomes increasingly tormented by this apparent divine gift.—
Payton Turkeltaub,
Variety,
1 Apr. 2026
-
But when demons threaten to destroy the City of Immortals, her former lord Indra begs her to return—or else lose both Kaushika and her identity as an apsara.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Still, a key downside risk for all three companies is the uncertainty that plagues the future of energy markets, according to Goldman.—
Davis Giangiulio,
CNBC,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Shifting to the execution phase By securing graphite early, the company aims to mitigate supply chain volatility that often plagues advanced nuclear projects.—
Munis Raza,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
And yet, in the scene on the Hill of Love, Lapid offers no self-questioning, no sense of cinematic exertion or trouble, in the fictional framing of the real agonies of Gaza.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The celebrated poet and memoirist, delves into the agonies of her decision and describes the emerging women’s liberation movement, of which Moore would soon become a participant.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
One associate dean couched the misstep as a result of learning pains tied to the adoption of new technology.—
Emily Hodgson Anderson,
The Conversation,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Tagovailoa, sporting a gray T-shirt and white ball cap, went through the pains and shortcomings of his past, his expectations for 2026 and the quarterback battle that awaits him in Flowery Branch.—
Daniel Flick,
AJC.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Boston, who serves as showrunner, creator, writer, and executive producer of the series has been ruminating on its terrors and delights for awhile now.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Film will ultimately survive as a medium even in the face of overwhelming terrors.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
China, which jails human rights activists in Hong Kong, persecutes Uyghurs, has killed hundreds of thousands of Tibetans and has committed genocide against the Falun Gong, is on the UN Human Rights Council.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
In Russia, the civilian repressive apparatus persecutes the military, which leaps at every chance for revenge.—
Stephen Kotkin,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
In that final part of the cycle—the writing part—were torments, perhaps even tortures, but good things happened.—
Jake Lundberg,
The Atlantic,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Former Jews deemed insufficiently converted faced the Spanish Inquisition’s tortures.—
David Bloom,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Torments.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torments. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
