Meaning 1neutral · 82%
To cause someone prolonged physical or emotional pain or severe distress.
Natural examples
Die Sorge um ihre Tochter quälte die Mutter tagelang.
Worry about her daughter tormented the mother for days.
Der Zahnschmerz quälte ihn die ganze Nacht.
The toothache tormented him all night.
Die lange Wartezeit quälte die Angehörigen.
The long wait tormented the family members.
Usage note
Quälen is regular: quält, quälte, hat gequält. It takes an accusative object here: to torment someone with questions.
Mini-lesson: quälen
To cause someone prolonged physical or emotional pain or severe distress. Quälen is regular: quält, quälte, hat gequält. It takes an accusative object here: to torment someone with questions.
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Choose one answer.Which definition matches «quälen»?