English Meaning & Definitions
The action or practice of inflicting severe pain on someone as a punishment or in order to force them to do or say something.
- “The prisoners were subjected to horrific torture during their captivity.”
- “For her, waiting for the test results was absolute torture.”
To inflict severe pain or suffering upon someone.
- “The cruel guards would torture the captives for information.”
- “He didn't mean to torture his audience with a long speech.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “torture”.
Derived from the Late Latin word 'tortura' (meaning 'twisting' or 'torment'), from the Latin verb 'torquere' (meaning 'to twist'). Historically, it referred to the twisting of the body or limbs on an instrument of punishment to extract confessions or inflict severe pain.
Think of 'tortoise' moving very slowly and painfully, sounding similar to 'torture'.
Frequently Asked Questions About “torture”
1. What is the meaning of “torture” in English?
In English, torture (noun) is defined as: “The action or practice of inflicting severe pain on someone as a punishment or in order to force them to do or say something.”.
2. How do you use “torture” in a sentence?
“The prisoners were subjected to horrific torture during their captivity.”
3. What are English synonyms of “torture”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “torture”?
Derived from the Late Latin word 'tortura' (meaning 'twisting' or 'torment'), from the Latin verb 'torquere' (meaning 'to twist'). Historically, it referred to the twisting of the body or limbs on an instrument of punishment to extract confessions or inflict severe pain.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.