as in weeping
expressing or suggesting mourning
an anguished cry the military's explanation of the accident did nothing to console the anguished widow
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in plagued
to cause persistent suffering to
she was anguished by the fear that her sons would die in the war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in grieved
to feel deep sadness or mental pain
I anguished over the loss of my father for years afterwards
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 anguished
Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 6 Jan. 2026
What is unquestionable is that like millions of other anguished parents, Rob and Michele struggled with how to help their troubled son.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 20 Dec. 2025
Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 24 Nov. 2025
But the intellectual self-questioning and anguished artistic experimentation that began in the early twentieth century after the annihilation of Europe’s old verities did not find fertile ground in the United States, either before the war or after it.
—Victor J. Blue, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anguished
Adjective
The dramatic ad juxtaposes news reports of spiking costs of living, anguished-looking residents in their homes and footage of Lamont laughing, eating pizza and declaring New Haven’s pizza supremacy.
—Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 6 Jan. 2026
What is unquestionable is that like millions of other anguished parents, Rob and Michele struggled with how to help their troubled son.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 20 Dec. 2025
Verb
Insert anguished grimace emoji here.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 24 Nov. 2025
But the intellectual self-questioning and anguished artistic experimentation that began in the early twentieth century after the annihilation of Europe’s old verities did not find fertile ground in the United States, either before the war or after it.
—Victor J. Blue, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anguished
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anguished
Adjective
-
And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.—
David Mamet,
National Review,
11 Aug. 2022
-
The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.—
Helen Shaw,
Vulture,
8 Dec. 2021
Verb
-
And the Rams were unable to overcome a special teams miscue, a theme that plagued them throughout the season.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Rodman was plagued by injury in 2025, using the first half of the year to recover from a lingering back issue.—
Melanie Anzidei,
New York Times,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
After Garcia's slaying, his parents, stepdad Raymond Courtemanche and mom Teresa, and their daughters Briana, now 37, and 32-year-old Tearae grieved — and got to work.—
Susan Young,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Fans left notes, flowers, and grieved together.—
Amanda Hari,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
McGuire’s goal here is entertainment (achieved) but his empathetic treatment of the indigenous tribes the English come into contact and conflict with gives his novel a mournful air of tragedy.—
Chloe Schama,
Vogue,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Adapted from Denis Johnson’s novella, Train Dreams stars Joel Edgerton in an elegiac, mournful portrait of a logger at the turn of the century.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Mattarella condemned the complicity of ordinary Italians in the fascist-era racial laws, which persecuted Italy’s Jewish community, and deportation of its Jews.—
Vanessa Gera,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The Kurds have been marginalized, persecuted and slaughtered by the likes of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and before those states existed, the Ottoman Empire.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Others mourned the Logan Paul effect.—
Clio Chang,
Curbed,
23 Jan. 2026
-
While the indie film world has mourned her in recent weeks, Rosen will surely be top of mind on Thursday when the 42nd annual Sundance Film Festival kicks off.—
Brooke Blumberg,
Variety,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Neighbors said they were heartbroken to hear about the incident.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
The younger brother of a man shot celebrating his birthday in the Bronx witnessed the slaying and was wounded by the gunman too, the siblings’ heartbroken mother revealed Monday.—
Rebecca White,
New York Daily News,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
At least 50 people had been reported dead in states afflicted by the dangerous cold.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Officials in states afflicted with severe cold reported at least 50 deaths.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anguished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anguished. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
