atormentar

to torment

verb ah-tohr-men-TAHR Rare

Also means

to torture

Usage Note

Atormentar means to cause great mental or physical suffering. Reflexively, atormentarse means to torment oneself, to be consumed by worry or guilt — se atormenta pensando en lo que pudo hacer. It is more intense than molestar (to bother) and implies sustained, acute distress. The noun tormento (torment) shares the same root and is used in both literal and figurative senses.

Examples

"Los remordimientos lo atormentaban día y noche."

Natural Translation

Remorse tormented him day and night.

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