French Conversation · Level 115
59 words
French word
tourmenter
Pronunciation
IPA/tuʁmɑ̃te/
Meaning
- verbtrouble
Example
Cette question me tourmente encore.
This question still troubles me.
More examples
Ne te laisse pas tourmenter par ce souvenir.
Don't let yourself be tormented by that memory.
Core concept
Persistent distress keeps a person's thoughts unsettled and prevents mental rest.
Common phrases
se tourmenter pour rien
worry oneself over nothing
tourmenter sa conscience
torment one's conscience
Similar words
inquiéter: Give rise to anxiety or worry.
préoccuper: Remain on someone's mind as a persistent concern.
déranger: Disturb work or rest and cause discomfort or inconvenience.
embêter: Bother someone with minor annoyance or difficulty.
Definition in French
Imposer à quelqu'un une souffrance morale ou un souci persistant qui l'affecte profondément.
Word origin
The verb is formed from French tourment, inherited through Old French from Latin tormentum and associated with the idea of torture or severe suffering.
Usage tips
- The pronominal form se tourmenter commonly means to worry or torment oneself, while tourmenter quelqu'un keeps another person as the affected object.