Torment means to cause someone severe physical or mental suffering, often repeatedly over time. When someone torments another person, they inflict ongoing pain or distress that feels almost unbearable, wearing them down through persistent cruelty.

You might read about prisoners being tormented by cruel guards, or about someone tormented by guilt over a mistake they made. A bully who constantly mocks and humiliates a classmate is tormenting them. The word captures something worse than ordinary teasing or a single mean act: it suggests persistent cruelty that wears someone down.

The word can also describe intense mental anguish you experience within yourself. A difficult decision might torment you, meaning you agonize over it, unable to stop worrying about making the wrong choice. Regret can torment someone for years.

As a noun, torment refers to the suffering itself. Someone living in torment experiences constant distress. The phrase “in torment” describes a state of severe ongoing pain or anguish, whether physical or emotional.

The word emphasizes duration and intensity: torment isn't a quick hurt but a grinding, persistent suffering that seems to go on and on. It's one of those words that carries real weight, reserved for describing truly difficult experiences rather than everyday frustrations.