1
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
it was a tormenting moment as they helplessly watched the other team score in the final seconds of the game
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in torturing
intensely or unbearably painful
a tormenting injury
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in plaguing
to cause persistent suffering to
he was tormented by nightmares about the accident
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tormenting
Adjective
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Some people will also get deeper nodules and cysts that are painful or tender to the touch.2 Ice can be very effective at alleviating pain and reducing inflammation.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
22 July 2025 -
The tents are overrun by mosquitoes and other large insects, subjecting people to frequent and painful insect bites.—
Steve Bousquet,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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Each of us should demand our local leaders challenge every one of the immoral and cruel state laws and the Gestapo-like raids and inhumane detainments carried out by ICE agents.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 July 2025
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Even critics who considered his policies cruel and racist – and there were many – admitted that behind the bluster there was the charm of a true believer.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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Despite his large body of work as a MAGA sycophant, YouTuber Benny Johnson couldn’t swallow Trump’s logically torturous explanations of why his backers should just forget about Epstein.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
19 July 2025
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But the games must go on, and in the third installment, he’s forced to play even more torturous rounds that divide the players further, including a terrifying game of hide-and-seek and a deadly round of double Dutch.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
Adjective
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The 2-to-1 decision was the latest upheaval for families awaiting a resolution in the long, agonizing case and does not mean the conspiracy trial can start soon.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
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After twenty agonizing minutes of missiles, the all-clear sounded.—
Debbie Koristz,
Sun Sentinel,
11 July 2025
Verb
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That’s changing this year, as three Democratic governors announced new initiatives aimed at addressing disparities afflicting boys and men.—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC news,
25 Mar. 2025
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One key focus of these efforts should address the deficiencies afflicting the market for biologics, which are medicines made or derived from biological processes.—
Wayne Winegarden,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Late-night talk shows across the board are facing the harsh reality that declines in ad revenue can’t make up for burgeoning production costs.—
Liam Reilly,
CNN Money,
22 July 2025
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The harsh reality is this: not all cell phone forensic extractions are created equal, and the most important evidence for trucking cases on the smartphone will be gone in days or weeks.—
Lars Daniel,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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That story isn’t about the nurse so much as the patients who saw their excruciating pain systematically ignored, and Burton conveys them as a kind of Greek chorus, individual voices cycling in and out to conjure a sense of collective experience.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
10 July 2025
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Simon’s excruciating back pain previously forced him to cancel his June 27 and 28 shows in Philadelphia.—
Rachel Flynn,
People.com,
3 July 2025
Adjective
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The finish is long and intense, with lingering orchard fruits and spices.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
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That’s due in part to the fluidity and intense candor of each member’s writing.—
Leah Lu,
Rolling Stone,
15 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Tormenting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tormenting. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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