tormenting 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of tormentingnext
1
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally it was a tormenting moment as they helplessly watched the other team score in the final seconds of the game

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in torturing
intensely or unbearably painful a tormenting injury

Synonyms & Similar Words

tormenting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of torment
as in plaguing
to cause persistent suffering to he was tormented by nightmares about the accident

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tormenting
  1. painful
  2. cruel
  3. torturous
  4. agonizing
  5. afflicting
  6. harsh
  7. excruciating
  8. intense
Adjective
  • This was a painful decision for all of us to make and was not taken lightly.
    Kirsty Hatcher, People.com, 1 Dec. 2024
  • For others, the memories may simply be too painful to come back, Daryna said.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Nov. 2024
Definition of painful
Adjective
  • The in-person aspects of the contest have remained generally positive, but online, with each new addition, the very nature of commenting on people’s bodies, looks, and attractiveness is basically heavy bait for someone to eventually say something cruel.
    CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2024
  • Yet some began to blanch at this cruel ostentation.
    Tim Gallagher, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Nov. 2024
Definition of cruel
Adjective
  • According to the political scientist Pierre Englebert, the Congolese government and people lose as much as $4 billion in revenue every year due to state agents’ manipulation of mining contracts and payments, torturous budget practices, and outright theft.
    Stephen R. Weissman, Foreign Affairs, 8 June 2015
  • The right boots, however, can make previously torturous bell-to-bell days no big deal.
    Drew Zieff, Outside Online, 9 Oct. 2024
Definition of torturous
Adjective
  • She would later be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and over the next long, agonizing decade, this loving, kind person became angry and suspicious, often lashing out at family members.
    Jessie Van Amburg, SELF, 25 Nov. 2024
  • That led him to the agonizing conclusion that season-ending surgery was the best route for a young career with plenty of future upside.
    Anthony Slater, The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024
Definition of agonizing
Verb
  • Whatever's afflicting you out there, in here the coffee is always hot, the fries are always crispy and the ranch dip is always free.
    Tyler Buchanan, Axios, 18 Oct. 2024
  • Something is genuinely off about the goings-on at the conference, from strange deaths and elevators that suddenly aren’t elevators, to a rash of scabby infections afflicting guests and the discovery of a subterranean tunnel.
    Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2024
Definition of afflicting
Adjective
  • The combination of this injury, the failure to find the anticipated wealth and the overall harsh conditions faced by the expedition contributed to Coronado's eventual decision to return to Mexico City in 1542.
    Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024
  • These ejections can collide with Earth’s magnetosphere, the barrier protecting humanity from the harshest effects of space weather, to produce geomagnetic storms that unleash spectacular views of the northern lights in parts of the country where auroras are not often visible.
    Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 27 Nov. 2024
Definition of harsh
Adjective
  • An excruciating pause followed, pregnant enough to suggest triplets.
    Taylor Eff, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2024
  • In worst-case scenarios, some owners make the excruciating decision between a poor quality of life for their dog, or euthanizing the animal to end its suffering, vets told USA TODAY.
    Claire Thornton, USA TODAY, 8 Nov. 2024
Definition of excruciating
Adjective
  • Extended hours of daylight can increase sun exposure—even if the sun doesn’t feel intense.
    David Nikel, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024
  • Scorpio signs are best known to be intense and passionate, but also one of the more misunderstood signs.
    Athena Sobhan, People.com, 23 Nov. 2024
Definition of intense
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Thesaurus Entries Near tormenting

tormented

tormenting

tormentor

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Cite this Entry

“Tormenting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tormenting. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tormenting

Nglish: Translation of tormenting for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of tormenting for Arabic Speakers

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