ANGUISH Synonyms: 253 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'anguish' different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of anguish are grief , regret , sorrow , and woe . While all these words mean "distress of mind," anguish suggests torturing grief or dread. // the anguish felt by the parents of the kidnapped child

Q: When could 'grief' be used to replace 'anguish'?

The words grief and anguish are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, grief implies poignant sorrow for an immediate cause. // the inexpressible grief of the bereaved parents

Q: When can 'regret' be used instead of 'anguish'?

Although the words regret and anguish have much in common, regret implies pain caused by deep disappointment, fruitless longing, or unavailing remorse. // nagging regret for missed opportunities

Q: When might 'sorrow' be a better fit than 'anguish'?

While the synonyms sorrow and anguish are close in meaning, sorrow implies a sense of loss or a sense of guilt and remorse. // a family united in sorrow upon the patriarch's death

Q: When would 'woe' be a good substitute for 'anguish'?

The meanings of woe and anguish largely overlap; however, woe is deep or inconsolable grief or misery. // cries of woe echoed throughout the bombed city

anguish 1 of 2

noun

ˈaŋ-gwish

Definition of anguish

as in distress

a state of great suffering of body or mind as a new teacher, she was in real anguish over the decision to report the cheating

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in sorrow

deep sadness especially for the loss of someone or something loved words can't express my anguish at losing my cat

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anguish

2 of 2

verb

as in to plague

to cause persistent suffering to she was anguished by the fear that her sons would die in the war

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to grieve

to feel deep sadness or mental pain I anguished over the loss of my father for years afterwards

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word anguish different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of anguish are grief, regret, sorrow, and woe. While all these words mean "distress of mind," anguish suggests torturing grief or dread.

the anguish felt by the parents of the kidnapped child

When could grief be used to replace anguish?

The words grief and anguish are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, grief implies poignant sorrow for an immediate cause.

the inexpressible grief of the bereaved parents

When can regret be used instead of anguish?

Although the words regret and anguish have much in common, regret implies pain caused by deep disappointment, fruitless longing, or unavailing remorse.

nagging regret for missed opportunities

When might sorrow be a better fit than anguish?

While the synonyms sorrow and anguish are close in meaning, sorrow implies a sense of loss or a sense of guilt and remorse.

a family united in sorrow upon the patriarch's death

When would woe be a good substitute for anguish?

The meanings of woe and anguish largely overlap; however, woe is deep or inconsolable grief or misery.

cries of woe echoed throughout the bombed city

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of anguish

Noun

There would be anguish and desperation and worry and guilt for sure. — Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026 And the insistent focus on Archambault to exclusion of all else does force Menochet’s sober gravitas to do a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of communicating the inner conflict and existential anguish with which all of the team must be struggling. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026

Verb

Hong Kong is an anguishing example. — Michelle Kuo, The Dial, 14 Apr. 2026 Especially for someone whose entire adult life has been immersed in the adrenaline-infusion of coaching — from its exhilarating highs and anguishing lows to simply always being in the middle of so much. — Kansas City Star, 1 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for anguish

Recent Examples of Synonyms for anguish

Noun

However, as some researchers have pointed out, the available studies didn’t assess whether emotions are actually regulated through the chatbot, and therefore conflate distress relief with attachment.

— Pascal Vrticka, Scientific American, 4 Oct. 2026
In a statement made through Carey, the Mayich family said Bales should be looking into why the workout was allowed and why it wasn't stopped when players were in visible distress with no water or rest.

— ABC News, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of distress

Noun

Because so many of Gunn’s friends died in San Francisco, a city where Gunn had found happiness and freedom, then these elegies are also a monument to a time of communal sorrow and mourning.

— Colm Tóibín, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
Another decision that those who are rejected face, at least if anger is mixed in with sorrow, is where to direct that anger.

— George Loewenstein, Vogue, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of sorrow

Verb

Walker, who leads the NFL with 360 rushing yards, also is adept at avoiding an issue that plagues many ball carriers and receivers in the NFL.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2026
The report found that extreme overcrowding and abuse plagued the facilities.

— Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of plague

Verb

Pi-o grieves the death of his friend, unable to get out of bed for days.

— Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
Shane Thomson, the high-risk security adviser who warned Hall, Zakrzewski and Kuvshynova not to go beyond the Kyiv city limits, joined the grieving parents in their lawsuit against Fox and Hall.

— David Folkenflik, NPR, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of grieve

Noun

When John reveals the Halogram to Kerry (after fair warning), the look on her face is a mix of shock and agony.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2026
Burns, 28, dropped to the ground in agony on his 25th snap of the Giants’ narrow 12-7 win over the Tennessee Titans.

— Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of agony

Noun

The ending’s weight comes from the huge scope of the Trask family’s grief, but even more, its emotional heft comes from how clearly this East of Eden sees Lee, the person who has always understood the things the Trasks are still attempting to learn.

— Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
Painful memories force her to confront first her own choices, then personal grief and finally, the family secrets that provide the novel’s distinctly elegiac and holistic tone.

— Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of grief

Verb

Those governments provide assurances that people won’t be persecuted or tortured, federal attorneys said.

— Lindsay Whitehurst, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
Also, some immigration cases involve people seeking asylum because they are being persecuted by a foreign government and releasing a person’s full name could be considered sensitive or even dangerous.

— Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of persecute

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“Anguish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anguish. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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