adjective
Other Word Forms
- nonanguished adjective
- unanguished adjective
Etymology
Origin of anguished
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; anguish, -ed 3
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Scenes of celebration at the prison gates included several prisoners with shaved heads who shouted "We are free!" as they exited, ending an anguished wait by their families.
From Barron's • Feb. 23, 2026
Daryll Olde is one of the anguished people pleading for answers about what happened to his dog, Tiny.
From BBC • Feb. 20, 2026
An anguished outburst from the gallery by the sister of a teacher who was killed prompted the judge to warn lawyers that such behavior could also derail the trial.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 19, 2026
We would live in a swirl of anguished mass confusion.
From Slate • Jan. 9, 2026
But when Emma and Chess glanced back, their faces were anguished, their matching dark eyes full of matching despair.
From "The Strangers" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.