torturer
One who agonizes
A torturer is a person who inflicts severe pain on others, typically to extract information, punish, or terrorize.
The term applies both to those who torture professionally—interrogators, executioners—and to anyone who causes extreme suffering: The regime's torturers operated in secret prisons.
Figuratively, anything that causes prolonged anguish can be called a torturer: Insomnia was his nightly torturer.
Harsh, probing questioner
- questionerOne who poses inquiries
- extractorDevice for removal
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
- confessionAdmission of wrongdoing
waterboarding · enhanced · intelligence · detention · black site · rendition · debriefing · techniques
Frame for holding items
- thumbscrewCompression torture device
- brandingCreating distinctive identity
- flayingRemoving skin from body
- electrocutionDeath from electrical current
waterboarding · iron maiden · bastinado · flogging · burning · stretching · implements · instruments
Sustained experience of distress
- agonyExtreme physical or emotional pain
- anguishIntense mental suffering
- traumaLasting psychological wound
- prisonerConfined criminal detainee
detainee · captive · screams · wounds · scars · mutilation · disfigurement · broken
Pleasure from inflicting pain
- brutalitySavage, merciless behavior
- inhumanityExtreme cruelty toward others
- barbaritySavage or cruel behavior
- mercilessnessAbsence of compassion or clemency
viciousness · savagery · callousness · heartlessness · pitilessness · cold-bloodedness · malevolence · ruthlessness
inquisitor
Harsh, probing questioner
- questionerOne who poses inquiries
- extractorDevice for removal
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
confession · waterboarding · enhanced · intelligence · detention · black site · rendition · debriefing · techniques · information
rack
Frame for holding items
- thumbscrewCompression torture device
- brandingCreating distinctive identity
- flayingRemoving skin from body
electrocution · waterboarding · iron maiden · bastinado · flogging · burning · stretching · implements · instruments · dungeon
suffering
Sustained experience of distress
- agonyExtreme physical or emotional pain
- anguishIntense mental suffering
- traumaLasting psychological wound
prisoner · detainee · captive · screams · wounds · scars · mutilation · disfigurement · broken · helplessness
sadism
Pleasure from inflicting pain
- brutalitySavage, merciless behavior
- inhumanityExtreme cruelty toward others
- barbaritySavage or cruel behavior
mercilessness · viciousness · savagery · callousness · heartlessness · pitilessness · cold-bloodedness · malevolence · ruthlessness · ferocity
- abusersabuser, batterer, beater, brutalizer, bully
- dungeondungeon, oubliette, cell bars, chains, prison cell
- criminalsmurderer, thief, burglar, criminal, killer
- tormentorstormentor, tormenter, torturers, persecutor, persecutors
- historical officialspraetor, consul, censor, tribune, prefect
- tyrantsHitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Idi Amin
- water tortureTorment by repeated drops
- torture chamberSpace for inflicting suffering
- torture deviceObject causing deliberate pain
- torture rackJoint-separating punishment device
- Chinese water tortureRestraint with relentless droplets
- torture victimOne subjected to torment