English Meaning & Definitions
Severe physical or mental suffering or agony.
- “He lived in constant torment after the loss of his family.”
- “The prisoner endured years of mental torment in isolation.”
To cause to experience severe mental or physical suffering.
- “The older boys would often torment the younger students on the playground.”
- “She was tormented by the memory of the accident.”
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “torment”.
Derived from the Old French 'torment', which comes from the Latin 'tormentum', meaning 'an instrument of torture' or 'a rack'. This Latin term is rooted in 'torquere', meaning 'to twist', reflecting the historical use of twisting devices to inflict pain.
Think of a 'torment' as being 'torn' apart mentally or physically.
Frequently Asked Questions About “torment”
1. What is the meaning of “torment” in English?
In English, torment (noun) is defined as: “Severe physical or mental suffering or agony.”.
2. How do you use “torment” in a sentence?
“He lived in constant torment after the loss of his family.”
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “torment”?
Derived from the Old French 'torment', which comes from the Latin 'tormentum', meaning 'an instrument of torture' or 'a rack'. This Latin term is rooted in 'torquere', meaning 'to twist', reflecting the historical use of twisting devices to inflict pain.
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