anguish

[ ang-gwish ]

noun

1. excruciating or acute distress, suffering, or pain:

   the anguish of grief.

   Synonyms: torture, torment, agony

   Antonyms: relief, comfort, delight

verb (used with object)

1. to inflict with distress, suffering, or pain.

verb (used without object)

1. to suffer, feel, or exhibit anguish:

   to anguish over the loss of a loved one.

anguish

/ ˈæŋɡwɪʃ /

noun

1. extreme pain or misery; mental or physical torture; agony

verb

1. to afflict or be afflicted with anguish

Word History and Origins

Origin of anguish¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English anguisse, from Old French, from Latin angustia “tight place,” from angust(us) “narrow” + -ia -ia; anxious

Word History and Origins

Origin of anguish¹

C13: from Old French angoisse a strangling, from Latin angustia narrowness, from angustus narrow

Synonym Study

See pain.

Example Sentences

We hear Alicia’s voice begin to tremble as she wanders off-camera, her grief and anguish visceral.

From Washington Post

After years of feeling alone in her anguish and grief, Campfield felt like she was part of something bigger, something that could change the things she hated so much about the world.

From Washington Post

One young character, after suffering a grisly accident, screams in anguish—the wailing spirals out in an unavoidable whirl that seems to go on forever.

From Time

No family should have to go through the anguish, stress, and indignity we went through.

From Washington Blade

Amid this gloom and anguish, a local non-government organisation has become synonymous with hope.

From Quartz

Nowhere to be found is the anguish, the drama, the pain of an athlete on that level who considering walking away.

From The Daily Beast

But from the anguish of soulless industrial lagers rises the emancipation of artisan brewing.

From The Daily Beast

After mom cries out in anguish and frustration on hearing the verdict, the ugly side of the protests rears its head.

From The Daily Beast

But their suffering and anguish is nothing compared to that of their victims.

From The Daily Beast

These people, Beck said, are “serving in silence, serving in their own personal anguish, their own personal pain.”

From The Daily Beast

She suddenly sank back upon the pillow and gave up to bitter anguish, when she recalled what had followed.

From Project Gutenberg

Oddly enough, in that moment of anguish he thought of Hodson, the man who rode alone from Kurnaul to Meerut.

From Project Gutenberg

The eyes of the Marchioness and her daughter met with an anguish of commiseration in each, neither of them could utter.

From Project Gutenberg

Her own wild imaginings made death seem preferable to the anguish of her belief that Frank had fallen.

From Project Gutenberg

We have heard the fame thereof, our hands grow feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, as a woman in labour.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• agony
• grief
• heartache
• heartbreak
• misery
• sorrow
• suffering
• torment
• woe