To intentionally inflict severe pain or suffering on (someone).

“In the aftermath of 9/11, we did some things that were wrong. We did a whole lot of things that were right, but, we tortured some folks. We did some things that were contrary to our values.”

Having been subjected to torture, mental or physical.

Involving suffering and difficulty.

“a tortured history”

Of literature, burdened by unnecessary complexity, obfuscation, abstruseness, etc.

“tortured prose”