torment

CEFRB2

/ˈtɔː(ɹ)mɛnt/

noun · verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    Severe physical or mental suffering that is hard to endure.

  2. 02

    verb

    To cause someone great physical pain or mental worry.

Examples

  • He is a constant torment to me.

  • I was a constant torment to my parents.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
3
Synonyms
5

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. Any extreme pain, anguish or misery, either physical or mental.

  2. Torture, originally as inflicted by an instrument of torture.

  3. A catapult or other kind of war-engine.

More examples

In context

  • He behaved bitter from the torments of the divorce.

  • The child tormented the flies by pulling their wings off.

  • I've gone through living torment.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The prisoner endured years of mental blank due to harsh treatment.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

From Middle English torment, from Old French torment, from Latin tormentum (“something operated by twisting”), from torquere (“to twist”).