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
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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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Gibson cited increasingly severe stomach pains and diarrhea across several days as her family's symptoms.—
Chiara Kim,
PEOPLE,
15 Apr. 2026 -
Branch Rickey and Leo Durocher, the Dodgers’ general manager and manager, took great pains to protect Robinson, but protecting him from all of the vitriol was an impossibility.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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And as a fight over the reauthorization of a key national security surveillance law plagues the lower chamber, moving forward with the DHS funding hasn't appeared to be a top priority.—
Kaia Hubbard,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
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The reclined riding position spreads body weight evenly, eliminating the back, neck, and wrist strain that plagues conventional cycling.—
Omar Kardoudi
April 20,
New Atlas,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Everyone grieves differently, and the emotions can come on in waves.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
4 Apr. 2026
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Now 32, Karanja grieves the milestones and achievements her dad hasn't been able to share — her graduation from college, for example, and her budding career as a researcher.—
Marc Silver,
NPR,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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China, which jails human rights activists in Hong Kong, persecutes Uyghurs, has killed hundreds of thousands of Tibetans and has committed genocide against the Falun Gong, is on the UN Human Rights Council.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
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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In other words, resilience is not about sealing the wound and pretending it no longer aches.—
Keith M. Bellizzi,
The Conversation,
13 Apr. 2026
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Long week of being sick, out of it, fatigue, body aches, not being able to move [or get] out of bed.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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And yet, in the scene on the Hill of Love, Lapid offers no self-questioning, no sense of cinematic exertion or trouble, in the fictional framing of the real agonies of Gaza.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The celebrated poet and memoirist, delves into the agonies of her decision and describes the emerging women’s liberation movement, of which Moore would soon become a participant.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Cucumbers are also susceptible to powdery mildew, a problem that afflicts many zinnias.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
16 Apr. 2026
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The centuries-old pot-kettle idiom points out hypocrisy — as when one person accuses another of a flaw that afflicts himself.—
George Skelton,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the series premiere of Netflix’s Vladimir, Rachel Weisz awakens from troubled sleep to a cascade of texts, sighs deeply, and addresses the camera with pleading eyes.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
27 Mar. 2026
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Twice thwarted, Beth sighs, says yes, and gets on with the business of living.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
5 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Anguishes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anguishes. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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