torment

torment — noun

1. extreme emotional distress or severe physical discomfort that is very hard to be

1.nounB2
Definition

extreme emotional distress or severe physical discomfort that is very hard to bear.

Example

The family lived in silent torment as they waited for news of the missing hiker.

uncountable: used without article for abstract suffering

Joshua felt a sharp torment in his lower back after lifting boxes all afternoon.

countable: a specific instance of physical pain

Common collocations
  • endure torment
  • be in torment
  • the torment of something
  • mental torment
  • physical torment
Synonyms
  • agony

    suggests a more intense, often physical, suffering that is overwhelming

  • anguish

    focuses on emotional or mental pain rather than physical

  • suffering

    broader and less intense; the general state of experiencing pain or hardship

Antonyms
  • relief

    the easing or removal of pain or distress

  • comfort

    a state of physical ease and freedom from pain

Grammar Patterns

be in torment

endure torment

torment of + noun

Usage Note

Can be either uncountable (the general state: 'years of torment') or countable (a particular instance or source: 'the torments of war'). The uncountable use is more common for abstract emotional suffering.

Common Mistakes

The mosquito was a torment all night.
The mosquito was a nuisance all night.
torment describes severe pain or anguish, not mild irritation.
I felt a torment when I stubbed my toe.
I felt a sharp pain when I stubbed my toe.
torment suggests prolonged or intense suffering, not a brief injury.

2. a prolonged state of deep unhappiness, worry, or emotional pain that affects a p

2.nounB2
Definition

a prolonged state of deep unhappiness, worry, or emotional pain that affects a person's mind.

Example

Amani could not hide the torment she felt after the end of her long relationship.

Watching a friend struggle with illness can cause profound inner torment.

collocation: inner torment

Common collocations
  • inner torment
  • profound torment
  • the torment of regret/guilt/grief
  • be in torment
Synonyms
  • anguish

    nearly interchangeable but slightly more literary and intense

  • distress

    less intense; can cover anxiety, sorrow, or worry without the same depth of pain

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

be in torment

torment of + gerund/noun phrase

inner torment

Usage Note

Unlike sense 1, this sense is restricted to emotional/mental suffering — never physical pain. It often implies a prolonged, gnawing quality rather than a sudden burst of pain. Frequently used in the phrase 'in torment' to describe a person's emotional state.

Common Mistakes

He was in torment after breaking his arm.
He was in great pain after breaking his arm.
physical injury uses 'pain'; 'torment' for emotional distress.
She felt torment about the exam result.
She felt anguish about the exam result.
'torment' is too strong for mild disappointment; use for deeper emotional suffering.

3. a person or thing that causes someone great pain, worry, or anger on an ongoing

3.nounB2
Definition

a person or thing that causes someone great pain, worry, or anger on an ongoing basis.

Example

The constant noise from the building site was a torment to the elderly residents.

a torment + to someone (pattern for specifying the sufferer)

For the new teacher, the unruly class became a daily torment she dreaded.

daily torment (collocation with time adjective)

Common collocations
  • a torment to
  • be a torment
  • daily torment
  • constant torment
  • little torment
Synonyms
  • affliction

    more formal and often suggests a burden imposed by fate or circumstance

  • plague

    suggests something that repeatedly troubles or harasses

Antonyms
  • blessing

    something that brings happiness or comfort

Grammar Patterns

be a torment to someone

something is a torment

Usage Note

This sense is always countable and refers to the source itself, not the feeling. To describe the feeling, use sense 1 or 2. 'A torment' can be used informally and even playfully for a mischievous person (similar to 'a little monster').

Common Mistakes

The noise was torment to the residents.
The noise was a torment to the residents.
this sense requires an article (a/the) because it is countable.
My brother is a torment when he takes my things.
My brother is a nuisance when he takes my things.
'torment' is too strong for mild annoyance.

torment — verb

Word family

  • tormented
    adjectiveB2
  • tormenting
    adjectiveC1
  • tormentor
    nounC1
  • tormentingly
    adverbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Torment, agony, anguish, suffering, and torture all describe intense pain or distress, but they differ in scope and focus. Torment emphasises prolonged, often mental suffering that wears a person down over time — it can be both physical and emotional. Agony suggests a more intense, overwhelming pain that is often physical and momentarily unbearable ('the agony of a heart attack'). Anguish is almost exclusively emotional or spiritual, tied to grief, regret, or existential despair. Suffering is the broadest and least intense term — it covers any experience of pain, hardship, or loss. Torture specifically refers to the deliberate infliction of severe pain, usually physical, as punishment or interrogation. In everyday use: 'The torment of waiting for test results' (emotional, drawn-out); 'The agony of a broken ankle' (sudden, intense pain); 'The anguish of losing a loved one' (deep grief).

torment ↗agonyanguishsuffering ↗torture ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • be in torment
  • a source of torment
  • cause torment
  • endure torment
  • torment of the mind
  • release from torment

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Torment comes from Latin 'tormentum', which originally meant an instrument of torture — a device for twisting and stretching the body. The Latin root 'torquēre' means 'to twist'. The word entered English through Old French 'torment' during the 13th century, first carrying the sense of physical torture. By the 14th century, it had already broadened to include mental and emotional suffering, a shift that reflects the original association of twisting with both bodily and psychological pain.