torture

The act of deliberately causing someone severe pain, often to punish them or make them give information.

• Torture causes terrible pain.
• The prisoners reported torture by the guards.
• He confessed under torture.

Common phrases: under torture, use torture, torture victims, physical torture

An experience that makes you feel extremely unhappy, uncomfortable, or upset.

• The waiting was torture.
• For him, sitting through the long speech was pure torture.
• Hearing that song again would be torture.

Similar words: agony, torment

Common phrases: pure torture, absolute torture, torture for someone

To deliberately cause someone severe pain or suffering, often to punish them or get information.

• The guards tortured the prisoner.
• She was tortured for refusing to answer.
• They had tortured him to get information.

How to use it: torture someone into doing something (They tortured him into revealing the names.)

Similar words: torment

Common phrases: torture a prisoner, torture someone physically, torture someone into