torture
Inflicting severe pain
Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering, typically to extract information, punish, or intimidate.
Governments torture prisoners; captors torture hostages.
The word extends to intense mental anguish: Waiting for the test results was torture.
As a verb, to torture someone is to subject them to such treatment.
Figuratively, anything agonizingly unpleasant may be called torture: That movie was absolute torture.
Extreme physical or emotional pain
- painBodily or emotional distress
- sufferingSustained experience of distress
- inflictionAct of causing suffering
- brutalitySavage, merciless behavior
beating · burning · electrocution · whipping · mutilation · branding · flogging · rack
Controlled asphyxiation interrogation technique
- confessionAdmission of wrongdoing
- extractionAct of removing
- detaineePerson held in custody
- prisonerConfined criminal detainee
questioning · enhanced interrogation · rendition · black site · intelligence · informant · Guantanamo · Abu Ghraib
Intense mental suffering
- traumaLasting psychological wound
- distressSevere anxiety or suffering
- despairTotal absence of hope
- humiliationLoss of dignity
degradation · isolation · sleep deprivation · sensory deprivation · gaslighting · coercion · brainwashing · intimidation
Difficult, painful experience
- nightmareFrightening dream causing wakefulness
- agonyExtreme physical or emotional pain
- excruciatingCausing extreme suffering
- unbearableImpossible to endure
hellish · grueling · agonizing · interminable · tedious · insufferable · maddening · exasperating
Unjust exercise of power
- persecutionSystematic mistreatment of groups
- genocideSystematic annihilation of a people
- repressionUnconscious blocking of thoughts
- dissidentOpposer of established systems
political prisoner · internment · human rights · atrocity · war crime · regime · authoritarian · tribunal
agony
Extreme physical or emotional pain
- painBodily or emotional distress
- sufferingSustained experience of distress
- inflictionAct of causing suffering
brutality · beating · burning · electrocution · whipping · mutilation · branding · flogging · rack · thumbscrew
waterboarding
Controlled asphyxiation interrogation technique
- confessionAdmission of wrongdoing
- extractionAct of removing
- detaineePerson held in custody
prisoner · questioning · enhanced interrogation · rendition · black site · intelligence · informant · Guantanamo · Abu Ghraib · stress positions
anguish
Intense mental suffering
humiliation · degradation · isolation · sleep deprivation · sensory deprivation · gaslighting · coercion · brainwashing · intimidation · threats
ordeal
Difficult, painful experience
- nightmareFrightening dream causing wakefulness
- agonyExtreme physical or emotional pain
- excruciatingCausing extreme suffering
unbearable · hellish · grueling · agonizing · interminable · tedious · insufferable · maddening · exasperating · drawn-out
oppression
Unjust exercise of power
- persecutionSystematic mistreatment of groups
- genocideSystematic annihilation of a people
- repressionUnconscious blocking of thoughts
dissident · political prisoner · internment · human rights · atrocity · war crime · regime · authoritarian · tribunal · survivor
- aggressionhostility, violence, attack, fight, combativeness
- crimesarson, burglary, robbery, kidnapping, vandalism
- wartimerationing, war economy, war bonds, war effort, evacuations
- action filmschase scene, car chase, explosion, stunt, shootout
- dangersdanger, peril, hazard, risk, menace
- dungeondungeon, oubliette, cell bars, chains, prison cell
torturemercy
Compassion toward offenders
compassion · kindness · clemency · gentleness · benevolence
- water tortureTorment by repeated drops
- torture chamberSpace for inflicting suffering
- tortured soulOne in profound anguish
- torture deviceObject causing deliberate pain
- tortured artistCreative person driven by inner turmoil
- torture rackJoint-separating punishment device
tortured, tortuous, tortures, torturing, torturous, torturer, torturers, tortuously, torturously