anguished

adjective

an·​guished ˈaŋ-gwisht 

1

: suffering anguish : tormented

the anguished martyrs

2

: expressing anguish : agonized

anguished cries

Synonyms of anguished

• weeping
• mournful
• heartbroken
• funeral
• grieving
• wailing
• bitter
• agonized

Examples of anguished in a Sentence

the military's explanation of the accident did nothing to console the anguished widow

Recent Examples on the Web

Okeadu slid to the ground with a thud, his head lolling strangely, with sharp, anguished sounds rising from his body. — ABC News, 30 June 2026

Tensions flared Saturday as desperation grew among anguished residents of the Venezuelan state of La Guaira, where rescuers and civilians searched for earthquake survivors amid a sharply rising death toll. — Arkansas Online, 28 June 2026

Even as the likelihood of finding people alive diminished with each passing hour, rescuers continued to free survivors from mountains of debris, offering anguished families reason to keep hopes alive. — Regina Garcia Cano, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2026

They were joined by a growing number of international rescue teams who began to climb through the rubble, offering a small glint of hope to anguished families. — Regina Cano Garcia, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English anguysched, from past participle of anguischen "to anguish entry 2"

First Known Use

1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for anguished

• languished