torture
tor·ture/ˈtɔːt͡ʃə/noun, verb
torture is spelled T-O-R-T-U-R-E: 7 letters and 2 syllables (tor·ture). It appears 14 times per million words in written English, the 5,595th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, torture means “The infliction of severe pain or anguish, especially as an interrogation technique or punishment; (usually in the plural) a technique, method, or…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of torture is tortures.
How many letters and syllables are in torture?
| Letters | 7: T-O-R-T-U-R-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: tor·ture |
| In writing | 14 times per million words; the 5,595th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Sounds like |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is torture?
Torture appears 14 times per million words in written English, the 5,595th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce torture?
- UK /ˈtɔːt͡ʃə/
- UK [ˈtʰɔːt͡ʃə]
- British /ˈtoːt͡ʃə/
Torture has 2 syllables, split tor·ture in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-torture.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Words people confuse with torture
Sounds like: torcher (Wiktionary's homophone list; some hold only in some accents).
Sources: English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).
Forms of torture
- tortures plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- torturing participle, present
- tortured participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does torture mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
The infliction of severe pain or anguish, especially as an interrogation technique or punishment; (usually in the plural) a technique, method, or device which is designed to inflict such anguish.
People confess to anything under torture.
- 2
Sexual activity involving the infliction of pain to a certain body part or in a certain manner.
cock and ball torture
- 3
Severe pain or anguish, of mind or body.
- 4
An unpleasant sensation or its infliction: embarrassment, heartache, etc.
Every time she says 'goodbye' it is torture!
verb
- 1
To intentionally inflict severe pain or suffering on (someone), usually with the aim of forcing confessions or punishing them.
1 August 2014, Barack Obama, "Press Conference by the President"; transcript published online by the Obama White House Archives, [https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2014/08/01/press-conference-president [1]]. With respect
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Torture in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | torture , torturer |
| German | Folter , foltern , Tortur |
| Portuguese | tortura, tormento, suplício , torturar |
| Spanish | tortura , torturar , suplicio |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does torture come from?
From Middle English torture, from Old French torture, from Late Latin tortūra (“a twisting, writhing, of bodily pain, a griping colic;” in Medieval Latin “pain inflicted by judicial or ecclesiastical authority as a means of persuasion, torture”), from Latin tortus (whence also tort), past participle of torquēre (“to twist”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).