torment
Americanverb (used with object)
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torments,
present (3rd person singular)
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tormented,
past participle, past
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tormenting
present participle
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to afflict with great bodily or mental suffering; pain.
to be tormented with violent headaches.
- Antonyms:
- please
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to worry or annoy excessively.
to torment one with questions.
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to throw into commotion; stir up; disturb.
noun
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torments
plural
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a state of great bodily or mental suffering; agony; misery.
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something that causes great bodily or mental pain or suffering.
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a source of much trouble, worry, or annoyance.
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an instrument of torture, as the rack or the thumbscrew.
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the infliction of torture by means of such an instrument or the torture so inflicted.
verb
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to afflict with great pain, suffering, or anguish; torture
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to tease or pester in an annoying way
stop tormenting the dog
noun
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physical or mental pain
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a source of pain, worry, annoyance, etc
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archaic an instrument of torture
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archaic the infliction of torture
Synonym Usage
Torment , rack , torture suggest causing great physical or mental pain, suffering, or harassment. To torment is to afflict or harass as by incessant repetition of vexations or annoyances: to be tormented by doubts. To rack is to affect with such pain as that suffered by one stretched on a rack; to concentrate with painful effort: to rack one's brains. To torture is to afflict with acute and more or less protracted suffering: to torture one by keeping one in suspense.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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tormentingnessnoun
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tormentedadjective
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tormentingadjective
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untormentedadjective
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untormentingadjective
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tormentedlyadverb
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tormentinglyadverb
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untormentinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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tormentsimple
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tormentssimple
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have tormentedperfect
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has tormentedperfect
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am tormentingprogressive
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are tormentingprogressive
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is tormentingprogressive
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have been tormentingperfect progressive
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has been tormentingperfect progressive
Past
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tormentedsimple
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had tormentedperfect
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was tormentingprogressive
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were tormentingprogressive
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had been tormentingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of torment
First recorded in 1250–1300; (noun) Middle English, from Old French, from Latin tormentum “rope, catapult, torture,” from unattested tork w -ment- ( see torque, -ment); (verb) Middle English tormenten, from Old French tormenter, derivative of torment (compare Late Latin tormentāre )
Explanation
By repeatedly trying to make someone miserable you torment them. The noun torment is the result of the verb torment. After stealing the old lady's purse, you might expect to be tormented by many sleepless nights. Those nights without sleep will torment (tor-MENT) you. They are your torment (TOR-ment). Perhaps you shouldn't have done that. You'll doubtless notice the relationship between torture and torment. But the subtle difference between them is that to torment someone is to torture them repeatedly. Often this is used metaphorically. For example, calling someone over and over to demand payment isn't actually torture, but it's certainly a way to torment them.
Vocabulary lists containing torment
Number the Stars
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Achievement First 5th Grade IA 1 Words
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That Hurts! Synonyms for "Pain"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Garnacho, who first made his name as a livewire teenager, has shown in the past he can torment defences at Premier League level.
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026
He said the families of those killed and injured will be experiencing "torment".
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
She fights her inner torment as much as any exterior force.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
What to do after writing some of this century’s most devastating songs about the torment of breaking up?
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2026
“Next time we meet, this torment will be over. I swear it. Ah-choo!”
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
Despite his neurological torments, he savors the wonderful things that have happened to him and the career he has enjoyed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2025
After spending time in the divine abyss, we’re back in reality, ripped from the stratosphere and placed into one of life’s most mundane torments: the hygienist’s chair.
From Salon ● Apr. 19, 2025
But like many of those who saved lives that day, she still torments herself.
From BBC ● Feb. 24, 2025
Solange’s disgusting behavior as she torments her housemates is what the Eggers seem to be getting at.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2024
We all of us have our particular devil who rides us and torments us, and we must give battle in the end.
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
Celtic's lack of depth in defence was exposed once again in the absence of the injured Cameron Carter-Vickers as Gianluca Prestianni and Duran tormented the visitors' back four.
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
I think people assume that the guy who created “The Twilight Zone” and was this really creepy, ominous host must have been this very dark and tormented person.
From Salon ● Oct. 10, 2026
It’s been a bit of a bummer summer, especially on the men’s side, where injuries have tormented the field.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
The rearrangement allowed Shankly to recall Toshack, who had been left out of the initial match, and he and Keegan tormented the Germans in a 3-0 victory, Liverpool subsequently winning 3-2 on aggregate.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
The grinding hunger that tormented the animals would go away when the rainy season arrived.
From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer
Brontë was fascinated by silent crypts and tormenting passions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
Owner Tara Zaman said they targeted the shop several times, "taking things" and "taunting" and "tormenting" her staff.
From BBC ● May 7, 2026
Fofana and Allan Saint-Maximin, on in place of Edouard and Said, continued the tormenting of PFC as they combined to add two goals in stoppage time.
From Barron's ● Feb. 14, 2026
“I know he is really good at that kind of stuff from playing against him and watching him do it and tormenting my team back in the day,” Stafford said, laughing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2025
But to quench the tormenting fire frying him in his clothes, he leaped overboard into the deep river where ere they could recover him he was near drowned.
From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
