as in pains
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in plagues
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 grieves
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anguishes
Noun
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In fact, Williams took great pains to establish that his primary objective is building the Terps (7-7, 0-3 Big Ten), not tearing down a 21-year-old prospect, the Bears or the sport’s governing body.—
Edward Lee,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Jan. 2026 -
Those in their fifties and beyond require the same amount of sleep as younger adults—and may actually benefit from sleeping more to offset nightly wake-ups from aches and pains, medication side effects, or dealing with the need to urinate more frequently in the middle of the night.—
Emma Loewe,
Outside,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Similarly, programs that encourage regular movement and mental breaks help mitigate the burnout that often plagues high-growth teams.—
Serenity Gibbons,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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So while so much of this matchup is strength versus strength, what might matter most is which team’s weakness plagues them the least.—
Daniel Popper,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In an emotional video posted Thursday, Kim thanked supporters for their prayers and asked for privacy as his family grieves.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
2 Jan. 2026
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Neytiri grieves the loss of her home and her tribe and resents Jake for it.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
16 Dec. 2025
Verb
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In Russia, the civilian repressive apparatus persecutes the military, which leaps at every chance for revenge.—
Stephen Kotkin,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Dec. 2025
Verb
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This loss is unexpected and surreal, and my heart aches… for his family, for his wife, for his children, for his friends, and for all of us who were blessed to know him.—
Christine Imarenezor,
VIBE.com,
15 Jan. 2026
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This loss is unexpected and surreal and my heart aches… for his family, for his wife, for his children, for his friends, and for all of us who were blessed to know him.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Her film is an honorable attempt to dramatize the everyday agonies and frustrations of Red Crescent workers, to honor their quick thinking and astonishing courage under duress.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In other words, a sort of onanism of the soul afflicts him.—
Hermione Hoby,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
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The disease afflicts individuals as well as corporate entities.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Bonds signs some autographs, then takes a seat on the bench in the Giants dugout next to his mother, puts his head in his hands, and sighs.—
Jeremy Collins,
The Atlantic,
12 Dec. 2025
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As the New York Rangers poured goal after goal into the Nashville Predators’ net Monday, fans and players let out not only cheers but also sighs of relief.—
Peter Baugh,
New York Times,
11 Nov. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Anguishes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anguishes. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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