torment
Cruel persistent distress
Torment is intense suffering—physical pain or mental anguish that persists and gnaws.
The noun emphasizes prolonged distress: the torment of chronic illness, the torments of jealousy.
As a verb, to torment is to inflict such suffering or to harass persistently: Stop tormenting your sister.
Children torment each other; guilt torments the conscience.
A tormentor is one who causes such suffering.
Persistent dull discomfort
- stingSharp wound from insect
- throbBeat with intensity
- crampPainful muscle seizure
- spasmInvoluntary muscle contraction
soreness · blister · scald · wince · writhe · agony · pang · smarting
Intense mental suffering
- sufferingSustained experience of distress
- miseryIntense prolonged distress
- despairTotal absence of hope
- griefIntense sorrow from loss
heartache · sorrow · woe · distress · trauma · desolation · wretchedness · hopelessness
Eternal punishment decree
- perditionEternal spiritual ruin
- hellfireEternal punishment by flame
- infernoDevastating, uncontrollable blaze
- purgatoryPlace of temporary suffering
brimstone · eternal · damned · underworld · abyss · punishment · demons · suffering
Aggressive, unwanted targeting
- houndingPersistently pursuing or pressuring
- bullyingAggressive repeated intimidation
- crueltyDeliberate harm-causing disposition
- victimizationBeing made to suffer
oppression · abuse · maltreatment · taunting · mockery · ridicule · humiliation · sadism
Persistent mental attachment
- compulsionIrresistible urge to act
- preoccupationAbsorbing mental focus
- plaguingAfflicting persistently
- gnawingPersistent biting action
nagging · intrusive · relentless · consuming · maddening · inescapable · rumination · sleeplessness
Frame for holding items
- thumbscrewCompression torture device
- waterboardingControlled asphyxiation interrogation technique
- inquisitionSustained, probing investigation
- dungeonSubterranean prison chamber
whip · stocks · pillory · flaying · branding · crucifixion · keelhauling · interrogation
ache
Persistent dull discomfort
spasm · soreness · blister · scald · wince · writhe · agony · pang · smarting · piercing
anguish
Intense mental suffering
- sufferingSustained experience of distress
- miseryIntense prolonged distress
- despairTotal absence of hope
grief · heartache · sorrow · woe · distress · trauma · desolation · wretchedness · hopelessness · melancholy
damnation
Eternal punishment decree
- perditionEternal spiritual ruin
- hellfireEternal punishment by flame
- infernoDevastating, uncontrollable blaze
purgatory · brimstone · eternal · damned · underworld · abyss · punishment · demons · suffering · flames
harassment
Aggressive, unwanted targeting
- houndingPersistently pursuing or pressuring
- bullyingAggressive repeated intimidation
- crueltyDeliberate harm-causing disposition
victimization · oppression · abuse · maltreatment · taunting · mockery · ridicule · humiliation · sadism · tyranny
fixation
Persistent mental attachment
- compulsionIrresistible urge to act
- preoccupationAbsorbing mental focus
- plaguingAfflicting persistently
gnawing · nagging · intrusive · relentless · consuming · maddening · inescapable · rumination · sleeplessness · haunting
rack
Frame for holding items
- thumbscrewCompression torture device
- waterboardingControlled asphyxiation interrogation technique
- inquisitionSustained, probing investigation
dungeon · whip · stocks · pillory · flaying · branding · crucifixion · keelhauling · interrogation · chamber
- painache, pain, agony, hurt, hurting
- inner turmoilinner turmoil, inner conflict, inner struggle, self-doubt, indecision
- Biblical Sufferingaffliction, agony, anguish, Job, lament
- Hellhellfire, brimstone, lake of fire, eternal fire, perdition
- infernohellfire, hellscape, brimstone, sulfur, limbo
- mental turmoilanguish, distress, turmoil, inner turmoil, mental anguish
- eternal tormentEndless punishment beyond death
- tormented soulOne suffering deep anguish
- psychological tormentInflicted emotional suffering
tormenting, tormentor, tormented, torments, tormentors, tormentingly