tormented

Thân thiện

A small tormented schoolboy sits alone on a bench at recess.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Experiencing severe mental or emotional suffering: The state of being deeply distressed, anguished, or plagued by painful thoughts, fears, or memories.
   • (Literary/Archaic) Harassed or afflicted, as if by a persistent nightmare or obsession: Being troubled or driven by something oppressive, often used in a more figurative or dramatic sense.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • The tormented artist could find no peace from his inner demons.
  • She had a tormented expression after hearing the tragic news.
  • He was tormented by guilt for years after the accident.

Advanced Usage

• The word often implies a prolonged or intense state of psychological suffering, rather than a momentary sadness.
• It can describe a character trait (a soul) or a temporary state (looking ).
• In literary contexts, it can describe someone haunted by visions or irrational fears, as in the reference: "... by visions of an imminent heaven or hell upon earth."

Variants and Related Words

• Torment (noun): Great mental suffering or anguish; a source of such suffering.
  • The noise was a constant torment to her.
• Torment (verb): To cause severe mental or physical suffering.
  • He was tormented by doubts.
• Tormentor (noun): A person or thing that torments.
  • The bully was the tormentor of the younger children.

Synonyms

• Anguished: Experiencing severe mental or physical pain.
• Tortured: Suffering extreme anguish or anxiety.
• Hagridden (archaic): Harassed or tormented, as by a nightmare or fear.
• Plagued: Constantly troubled or distressed by something.
• Distressed: Suffering from anxiety, sorrow, or pain.

Antonyms

• Peaceful: Free from disturbance; tranquil.
• Contented: Satisfied and happy with one's situation.
• Untroubled: Not disturbed or worried.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• Tormented by [something]: This is the most common construction, indicating the source of the suffering.
  • Tormented by regret, tormented by memories, tormented by fear.
• A tormented soul/genius: A common phrase used to describe someone, often an artist or thinker, whose great creativity or depth is linked to their inner suffering.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. tormented or harassed by nightmares or unreasonable fears
   • hagridden...by visions of an imminent heaven or hell upon earth- C.S.Lewis
2. experiencing intense pain especially mental pain
   • an anguished conscience
   • a small tormented schoolboy
   • a tortured witness to another's humiliation

Từ đồng nghĩa

• hag-ridden
• hagridden
• anguished
• tortured