What does "tormentor" mean?
One who torments; a person, animal, or object that causes suffering.
Tormentor
/tɔːˈmɛn.tə(ɹ)/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: One who torments; a person, animal, or object that causes suffering.
- Grammar: tormentor is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: persecutor, abuser, act drop, annoyance.
- Useful contrasts: calm, protector, relief.
- Usage evidence: Unconscionable Love, bane and tormentor of mankind, parent of strife, fountain of tears, source of a thousand ills.
How to use "tormentor"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "tormentor" 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 "tormentor" 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 "tormentor" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "tormentor" 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 "tormentor" is acting as noun 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 "persecutor" 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 "tormentor", 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 One who torments; a person, animal, or object that causes suffering.
"Before that estimable lady could recover herself, or offer the slightest retaliation, she was forced into a kneeling posture by a crowd of shouting tormentors, and compelled to swallow a spoonful of the odious mixture […]"
- 2 a flat at each side of the stage to prevent the audience from seeing into the wings wordnet
- 3 One who torments; a person, animal, or object that causes suffering.; A person delegated to torture prisoners. archaic
"And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him."
- 4 someone who torments wordnet
- 5 Something abstract that causes suffering. figuratively
"These words hereafter thy tormentors be!"
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 One of a pair of narrow curtains just behind the front curtain and teaser that mask the areas on the sides of the stage and can be adjusted to the desired width.
"Then Nathan Eldred, gently pushing, was muttering, ‘On you go, dear. Good luck!’ and she was edging between the tormentor and the backing flats, in front of the curtain, holding her small hands out to the sudden-silenced audience […]"
- 7 An implement for reducing a stiff soil, resembling a harrow, but running upon wheels.
- 8 A long meat-fork. obsolete
"1813, Charles Stewart, enclosure in a letter to the Secretary of the Navy, dated 18 October, 1813, in William S. Dudley (editor), The Naval War of 1812: A Documentary History, Washington D.C.: Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy, 1992, Volume 2, p. 392, Cabin furniture received onboard the U.S.F. Constellation at Washington […] 1 Cleaver and tormentors/Cook; [footnote:] A tormentor is a long iron meat fork used by sea cooks."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Unconscionable Love, bane and tormentor of mankind, parent of strife, fountain of tears, source of a thousand ills."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "tormentor"?
Common synonyms include: persecutor, abuser, act drop, annoyance, annoyer, asbestos.
How do you use "tormentor" in a sentence?
Unconscionable Love, bane and tormentor of mankind, parent of strife, fountain of tears, source of a thousand ills.
How do you pronounce "tormentor"?
Pronounced /tɔːˈmɛn.tə(ɹ)/.
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman tourmentour, from Old French tormenteor.