torment
/ˈtɔːrmənt/ · tor·ment
noun
- A catapult or other kind of war‑engine. The besiegers rolled the heavy stones from the torment onto the castle walls.
- Torture, especially as inflicted by an instrument of torture. The prisoners were subjected to the torment of the rack.
- Any extreme pain, anguish or misery, either physical or mental. She endured the torment of chronic migraines for years.
verb
- To cause severe suffering; to afflict or harass persistently. The relentless heat tormented the hikers throughout the day.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Did you know? In medieval English, 'torment' originally referred to a siege engine like a catapult, a meaning that survived only in a few historical texts before the word shifted to denote extreme suffering.