torturous

tor·tur·ous
T1O1R1T1U1R1O1U1S1
US/ˈtɔɹt͡ʃəɹəs/UK/ˈtɔːt͡ʃəɹəs/

adjective

Of or pertaining to torture.

Similar
tormentousagonizingagonisingexcruciatingharrowingtorturingtorturesomepainful
OriginMiddle English torterous ← Anglo-Norman torturous ← Old French tortureus →
UncommonScrabble 9
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Meanings

adjectivetorturous (comparative more torturous, superlative most torturous)

comparative more torturous · superlative most torturous

  1. Of or pertaining to torture.
  2. Painful, excruciating, torturing.

Synonyms & antonyms

Similar
tormentous

adjectiveextremely painful

Similar
agonizingagonisingexcruciatingharrowingtorturingtorturesomepainful
Also see
agonisingagonizingailsomeexcruciatingharrowinghellishpainablepainfultormentoustormentuoustorturesometorturing

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latintortūra
  2. Old Frenchtortureus
  3. Anglo-Normantorturous
  4. Middle Englishtorterous
  5. Englishtorturous

From Middle English torterous, from Anglo-Norman torturous, from Old French tortureus, from Latin tortūra. By surface analysis, torture + -ous.

More words from Middle English, Anglo-Norman, Old French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Spanish torturador, torturante
  • torturadorTranslations
  • torturanteTranslations
  • torturosoTranslations
Turkish işkenceli
  • işkenceliTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

torturous. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/torturous

MLA

“torturous.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/torturous. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “torturous,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/torturous.

Source: torturous on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.