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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for torturing
Noun
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Based on previous eruptions, changes from current activity in the earthquakes, ground deformation, summit lake conditions, and fumarolic activity would be expected if magma began to move closer to the surface.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Mar. 2025 -
If the volcano doesn’t erupt at all, gas emissions, earthquakes, and ground deformations would slowly decline, disappearing over a few weeks or months without ever escalating into an explosion.—
Sam Walters,
Discover Magazine,
17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Their relocation will mark the end of a long, and often torturous, journey for the club that began almost 25 years ago.—
Tom Burrows,
The Athletic,
23 Mar. 2025
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Now, five years after the declaration of a worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and three years past seeing how torturous a death the virus can bring, Shaver says the experience gave her a new perspective on life.—
Tammy Ljungblad,
Kansas City Star,
22 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The Federal Communications Commission's news distortion investigation into CBS drew a public rebuke from a bipartisan group of five former FCC commissioners, including two former chairmen.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
28 Mar. 2025
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Attention also could be paid to dismantling foreign anticompetitive market distortions, in order to augment the benefits achieved through the Task Force.—
Alden Abbott,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Social media is filled with quips and notes about the agonizing ways in which the show nails the corporate experience.—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN,
21 Mar. 2025
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Coming to grips with what happened has been agonizing.—
Christine Pelisek,
People.com,
17 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Deleterious effects include discoloration of the teeth, bony deformities as well as moderate evidence that high levels of fluoride could result in lower IQ for children.—
Omer Awan,
Forbes,
6 Nov. 2024
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Excessive systemic exposure to fluorides can also lead to skeletal fluorosis, which causes pain, stiffness and bone deformities, or dental/enamel fluorosis, which causes tooth discoloration.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA TODAY,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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An audacious plan In the mid-1980s, global health agencies were otherwise occupied and heads of state largely overlooked the illness afflicting millions of their citizens.—
Sam Mednick,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Dec. 2024
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The United States now suffers from twin pathologies—one afflicting the health of its citizens and the other the health of its political system.—
Thomas J. Bollyky,
Foreign Affairs,
30 Jan. 2020
Adjective
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What could possibly motivate anyone to choose again and again to endure such excruciating pain?—
Tim Genske,
Forbes,
19 Mar. 2025
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But the end games were excruciating losses, usually in the national semifinals, once in the final, and once — just once — in the Sweet 16.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Wings Hauser, the versatile character actor known for his intense turns in Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling, Vice Squad and Tough Guys Don’t Dance, has died.—
Mike Barnes,
The Hollywood Reporter,
20 Mar. 2025
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Described as the sport world’s equivalent of the Vatican’s conclave voting procedure for a new pope, the election by secret ballot was preceded by intense lobbying campaigns by all the candidates.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
20 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Torturing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torturing. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
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