Tortured Meaning in English
word · lemma: torture
Definition
Tortured describes someone or something that has suffered severe physical pain or extreme mental suffering. It can also describe a strained, unnatural, or overly complicated style of expression or reasoning.
Usage & Nuances
Often used for emotional suffering in everyday English, not only literal physical torture. Common patterns include 'a tortured soul', 'a tortured expression', and 'tortured logic'. Be careful: it is strong and dramatic, so it can sound intense in casual contexts.
Example Sentences
The prisoner looked tortured after many days without sleep.
basic
She gave me a tortured smile and said she was fine.
basic
His tortured voice made everyone quiet.
basic
He always writes in this tortured style that sounds deeper than it really is.
natural
You can hear how tortured she feels in that interview.
natural
That explanation feels tortured—there's a much simpler answer.
natural