torment

C1 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈtɔː(ɹ)mɛnt/ See IPA manual

Freq #8831

Meanings

1

noun
Severe physical or mental suffering.

He lived in torment for years after the accident.
2

verb
To cause someone great and continual suffering.

Guilt tormented her long after she had told the lie.
3

verb
To deliberately annoy or treat someone cruelly.

The older boys tormented him every day at school.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · severe physical or mental... anguish distress misery pain torture

2 verb · to cause someone great and... afflict distress torture

3 verb · to deliberately annoy or... bedevil frustrate

Word family

Forms tormentedtormentingtormentortorments

Derived forms tormentfultormentous

Related forms torture

Etymology

From Middle English torment, from Old French torment, from Latin tormentum (“something operated by twisting”), from torquere (“to twist”).

*terkʷ- Proto-Indo-European torment Middle English tormentum Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# torment

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈtɔː(ɹ)mɛnt/
**Frequency rank:** 8831

## Meanings
1. Severe physical or mental suffering.
2. To cause someone great and continual suffering.
3. To deliberately annoy or treat someone cruelly.

## Examples
- He lived in torment for years after the accident.
- Guilt tormented her long after she had told the lie.
- The older boys tormented him every day at school.

## Derived Forms
- tormentful
- tormentous

## Related Forms
- torture

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *terkʷ-
- Root: torment
- Root: tormentum

## Etymology
From Middle English torment, from Old French torment, from Latin tormentum (“something operated by twisting”), from torquere (“to twist”).

## AI Etymology
Torment is from Middle English torment, from Old French torment, from Latin tormentum (“something operated by twisting”), from torquere (“to twist”). Important historical forms include Proto-Indo-European *terkʷ-, Middle English torment, Old French torment, and Latin tormentum. In present-day use, it can mean severe physical or mental suffering, or to cause someone great and continual suffering. Derived formations include tormentful, tormentous.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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