TORTURER Synonyms: 57 Similar and Opposite Words

torturer

noun

Definition of torturer

as in tease

a person who causes repeated emotional pain, distress, or annoyance to another a sadistic torturer of men he regarded as weak, the drillmaster really had it in for one recruit

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of torturer Red is immediately abducted, cut open in an ambulance, and injected with pain-magnifying drugs by his torturers, while Liz accidentally murders the mysterious man surveilling her next door. — Ew Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 25 June 2026 Aaron escapes his torturers, first by rooting himself in the town’s only movie theater open to Black people, and then by lying about his age and enlisting in the Navy at 16. — Meredith Maran, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026 Incredibly, one of Schiller's torturers, Jorge Delgado - the Sun Gym member who had first told Lugo about Schiller and his millions - ended up helping the federal government make their case. — Troy Roberts, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026 His torturers shattered his hands and paraded him around the stadium, taunting him to try to play his guitar. — Christina Hioureas, Rolling Stone, 22 Mar. 2026 Others refuse to lower themselves to the level of their torturers. — Karl Vick, Time, 13 Mar. 2026 In an early scene, an auto mechanic named Vahid recognizes his former torturer by the distinctive squeak of his prosthetic leg. — Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026 The film, which looks at a former political prisoner who considers violent revenge against his prison torturer, was co-written by Panahi, Mahmoudian, Nader Saeiver and Shadhmer Rastin. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 1 Feb. 2026 In addition, my torturers repeatedly provided pieces of information that could prove helpful in identifying them as part of investigations by the FBI and other agencies. — Elizabeth Tsurkov, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for torturer

Noun

McEwen offered a cryptic tease about what audiences can expect.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
The trailer gives a tease into the footage that was filmed leading up to the production pause, including Paul’s return from filming season 22 of The Bachelorette and Whitney Leavitt‘s Broadway debut.

— McKinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of tease

Noun

So her lighthearted moment with her former tormentor was noteworthy, and not lost on Negan.

— Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 27 July 2026
Lionel Messi is an all-timer (not to mention a frequent Atlanta United tormentor) and, at 39 years old, this may be his last World Cup.

— Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 13 July 2026

Definition of tormentor

Noun

Parton’s ability to become the harasser without falling into some version of male drag makes this short sequence far superior to the many films with a similar premise that followed.

— Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
White stars can help by publicly supporting their Black colleagues, who are especially targeted by online trolls and harassers.

— Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of harasser

Noun

Honoring the undocumented and decrying their persecutors at the height of her career, against political headwinds and with nothing to gain and everything to lose, was par for her life, and a challenge for all of us to do the same.

— Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
The Bible relates the remarkable transformation of Saul of Tarsus – at one time a violent persecutor of Christians – who became a powerful teacher-by-example of love and peace.

— Margaret Rogers, Christian Science Monitor, 29 July 2026

Definition of persecutor

Noun

Jarrett, the elder brother, was eventually taken in by a man who later abused him, a victimizer who then set his sights on Baylon.

— Matthew Carey, Deadline, 22 Aug. 2026
Anyone who thinks the only alternative to being a victim is to be a victimizer is missing some important possibilities.

— Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026

Definition of victimizer

Browse Nearby Words

tortured

torturer

torturers

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Torturer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/torturer. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of torturer

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dissonant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes