# torture

/ˈtɔɹtʃɝ/ (US) · /tˈɔːtʃɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/torture
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. inflicting pain

noun · CEFR B2

the act of causing someone great physical or mental pain, often to force them to tell a secret.

For teachers: the deliberate infliction of severe physical or psychological pain, typically as a means of coercion, interrogation, or punishment.

- 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.

### 2. mental suffering

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

a feeling of great unhappiness or worry.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. an unpleasant experience

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal · Humorous

something that is very annoying, boring, or difficult to do.

For teachers: 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.

### 4. to cause pain

verb · CEFR B2

to hurt someone badly on purpose, usually to get information.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- The long wait for the results was pure torture.
- International law strictly prohibits the use of torture under any circumstances, even during times of war.
- The protagonist endures the psychological torture of isolation, a narrative device used to explore the fragility of the human mind when stripped of social contact.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.