anguished

adjective

an·​guished ˈaŋ-gwisht How to pronounce anguished (audio)
Synonyms of anguishednext
1
: suffering anguish : tormented
the anguished martyrs
2
: expressing anguish : agonized
anguished cries

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Dodgers’ $240-million signing of Kyle Tucker revived anguished cries that the team is ruining baseball. Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2026 BenQ has heard the anguished cries of movie enthusiasts who don't have the luxury of large rooms for a home cinema setup. New Atlas, 22 Jan. 2026 Seen here cosplaying as herself in some of the film’s least essential recreations, Shamraz determines that the locals can’t be trusted to save themselves, and sends in a rescue helicopter without communicating her plan to the anguished parents and friends who are watching the situation unfold. David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 22 Jan. 2026 Her new film forgoes cross-cultural humor in favor of an anguished Arab-Israeli history lesson, which stretches from the violent uprootings of 1948 to the eerie calm of 2022, about a year before the attacks of October 7, 2023. Justin Chang, New Yorker, 14 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for anguished

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of anguished was in 1570

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Cite this Entry

“Anguished.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anguished. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.

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