Word
torture
Phoneticstor·ture, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈtɔɹtʃɝ/
UK/tˈɔːtʃɐ/
Definitions
01inflicting pain
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Law
n. the act of causing someone great physical or mental pain, often to force them to tell a secret.
n. the deliberate infliction of severe physical or psychological pain, typically as a means of coercion, interrogation, or punishment.
日本語:拷問※
“The international treaty strictly forbids the use of torture against prisoners.”
“Human rights organisations documented systemic torture within the military prison, citing evidence of both physical violence and sleep deprivation.”
Synonyms
02mental suffering
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Literary
n. a feeling of great unhappiness or worry.
n. intense mental or emotional anguish; a state of extreme distress.
“Waiting for the hospital results was pure torture for the family.”
“The protagonist endured the torture of regret for years, unable to forgive himself for the choices he made in his youth.”
03an unpleasant experience
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Informal · Humorous
n. something that is very annoying, boring, or difficult to do.
n. an experience that is highly unpleasant, tedious, or irritating, often used for hyperbolic effect.
“Sitting through that three-hour meeting was absolute torture.”
“For a professional athlete used to constant movement, being confined to a hospital bed for a month was nothing short of torture.”
04to cause pain
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to hurt someone badly on purpose, usually to get information.
v. to intentionally inflict severe pain or suffering on a person or animal.
“The dictator was accused of using the secret police to torture his enemies.”
“The regime was condemned by the United Nations for its decision to torture political dissidents in an attempt to suppress the uprising.”
Usage
This verb is transitive and requires a direct object.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “torture” in context.
Verb
01. amount to torture
“Human rights lawyers argued that the prolonged solitary confinement amounted to torture.”
verb + prep + noun
02. endure the torture
“The captured soldier had to endure the torture for three days before he was rescued.”
verb + noun
03. inflict torture on prisoners
“The regime was accused of inflicting torture on political prisoners to extract confessions.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
Adjective
04. psychological torture
“The constant sleep deprivation served as a form of psychological torture.”
adj + noun
05. sheer torture
“Waiting for the exam results was sheer torture for the anxious students.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. instrument of torture
“The museum displayed various medieval instruments of torture used centuries ago.”
noun + of + noun
07. torture victim
“The charity provides specialized counseling and medical care for torture victims.”
noun + noun
Preposition
08. under torture
“The suspect eventually signed a false confession under torture.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“He demanded that all political prisoners be freed “without exception, without delay, and promptly”, and that Venezuela needs to “close forever the door of torture centres”.” “It contrasted this with al-Assad’s regime, where torture was not due to gaps in law, but state policy itself.” Etymology
From Middle English torture, from Old French torture, from Late Latin tortūra (“a twisting, writhing, of bodily pain, a griping colic;” in Medieval Latin “pain inflicted by judicial or ecclesiastical authority as a means of persuasion, torture”), from Latin tortus (whence also tort), past participle of torquēre (“to twist”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/torture
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0