Tortured

Tortured is the past tense and past participle of torture, referring to the act of causing severe physical or mental pain to a person. It can describe someone who has endured such treatment, or be used metaphorically to express extreme distress or inner turmoil, as in “tortured by guilt” or “a tortured career.”

From Old French torturer, from Latin torquere “to twist, bend,” the root term has long been associated with inflicting pain or coercion. The word’s usage spans legal, historical, and literary contexts, and it can describe both deliberate acts and experiences perceived as prolonged and severe.

In international law, torture is defined as the intentional infliction of severe pain or suffering for purposes such as obtaining information, punishment, intimidation, or discrimination. The United Nations Convention Against Torture prohibits torture and obligates states to prevent, investigate, prosecute, and provide redress to victims. The prohibition applies in peacetime and armed conflict, worldwide and regardless of status. Many legal systems treat torture as a crime and exclude evidence obtained through torture on grounds of unreliability. Distinctions are often made between torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, though both are prohibited in most jurisdictions.

Victims may suffer lasting physical injuries and psychological trauma, with long-term social and economic consequences. The term also appears in historical and cultural contexts, reflecting periods, practices, or personal struggles rather than a purely factual description.