What does "torment" mean?
A catapult or other kind of war-engine.
Torment
/ˈtɔː(ɹ)mɛnt/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A catapult or other kind of war-engine.
- Grammar: torment is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: agony, anguish, torture, abuse.
- Useful contrasts: calm, cheer, comfort.
- Usage evidence: I was a constant torment to my parents.
How to use "torment"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "torment" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "torment" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "torment" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "torment" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "torment" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "agony" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "torment", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A catapult or other kind of war-engine. countable, obsolete, uncountable
- 2 the act of harassing someone wordnet
- 3 Torture, originally as inflicted by an instrument of torture. countable, uncountable
"I've gone through living torment."
- 4 a severe affliction wordnet
- 5 Any extreme pain, anguish or misery, either physical or mental. countable, uncountable
"He was bitter from the torments of the divorce."
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 intense feelings of suffering; acute mental or physical pain wordnet
- 7 extreme mental distress wordnet
- 8 a feeling of intense annoyance caused by being tormented wordnet
- 9 unbearable physical pain wordnet
Verb
- 1 To cause severe suffering to (stronger than to vex but weaker than to torture.) transitive
"The child tormented the flies by pulling their wings off."
- 2 subject to torture wordnet
- 3 torment emotionally or mentally wordnet
- 4 treat cruelly wordnet
Example
"I was a constant torment to my parents."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "torment"?
Common synonyms include: agony, anguish, torture, abuse, abuses, afflict.
How do you use "torment" in a sentence?
I was a constant torment to my parents.
How do you pronounce "torment"?
Pronounced /ˈtɔː(ɹ)mɛnt/.
Etymology
From Middle English torment, from Old French torment, from Latin tormentum (“something operated by twisting”), from torquere (“to twist”).