1
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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2
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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1
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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2
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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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of anguish
Kate Sequeira, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2025
How permanent? were questions that Bearden suggested the jury consider to guide the panel’s deliberation on Elijah’s pain and his family’s loss of companionship and mental anguish.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 June 2025
Will Leitch, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
Watching, Emily grows anguished at her mother’s distraction.
—Russell Shaw, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anguish
Noun
But the intense anguish some feel at this moment has exacerbated the dilemma.
—Kate Sequeira, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2025
How permanent? were questions that Bearden suggested the jury consider to guide the panel’s deliberation on Elijah’s pain and his family’s loss of companionship and mental anguish.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 June 2025
Verb
And yet, the film has a pretty expert ensemble — Kevin Spacey won the Oscar, but Annette Bening was even more deserving — and Conrad Hall’s photography captures all the shiny surfaces that contrast with the characters’ anguished inner worlds.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
Watching, Emily grows anguished at her mother’s distraction.
—Russell Shaw, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anguish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anguish
Noun
-
Buildings continue to fall into economic distress because of government’s housing policies.—
Alva Badillo,
New York Daily News,
29 June 2025
-
In line with these ideas, researchers published findings in 2023 that showed that meditation increased people’s concern for the suffering of others—and that, by comparison, people without this practice were more oriented to their own distress.—
Mariah G. Schug,
Scientific American,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett also condemned the shooting and expressed his sorrow for the parents of the victims.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 July 2025
-
We are filled with unbearable sorrow and despair at our loss.—
Aaron Valdez,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Verb
-
With water crises increasingly plaguing other areas of the country, Central Arkansas is positioning itself as a destination for sustainable economic growth.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
11 July 2025
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But, with its ridiculous time-turning conclusion, the 1978 classic revealed a problem that's been plaguing the last son of Krypton ever since: Superman movies never end well.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
10 July 2025
Verb
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Dogs, the nation's most-popular pet, were also called challenging to raise and grieve.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 July 2025
-
This has led some to publicly chastise the grieving parents for seeking vengeance over justice, a criticism that Kristi addressed in a Facebook post on Thursday, July 3.—
Chris Spargo,
People.com,
4 July 2025
Noun
-
Meanwhile, Joseph writhes in the agony of his own newfound girl craziness (and cleavage obsession).—
Daniel Dockery,
Vulture,
7 July 2025
-
Williams was never offered any other clear pathway to finding relief—even as the agony from her fibroids was getting worse.—
Kayla Greaves,
SELF,
3 July 2025
Noun
-
After the trial and sentencings, a noose of grief tightened around the DuFresne family.—
Mary Jane Gibson,
Rolling Stone,
29 June 2025
-
Losing a job, or facing creative rejection, is a very real type of grief that doesn’t always get depicted as grief.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
27 June 2025
Verb
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There may be no animal that has been more revered and reviled, romanticized and persecuted, adopted and murdered than the coyote.—
Helen Whybrow
July 7,
Literary Hub,
7 July 2025
-
Asylum seekers must prove their government is persecuting them or that they're being persecuted by someone who the government is unable or unwilling to stop.—
Victoria Moorwood,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
Verb
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Owners may consider special stairs, a ramp or even a stroller to help their elderly dog move around, while some dogs benefit from special beds and crate pads to help aching muscles and stiff joints.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 July 2025
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Like all great period romances, Maurice places aching desire at the forefront, with the men's palpable yearning made all the more soul-shattering by the fetters of their time.—
Lia Beck,
EW.com,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Anguish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anguish. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
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