1
as in plaguing
to cause persistent suffering to
she was anguished by the fear that her sons would die in the war
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in grieving
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
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Recent Examples of anguishing
Morgan’s childhood was filled with anguishing losses.
—
Sam McDowell 8, Kansas City Star, 8 Feb. 2026
Sam McDowell 8, Kansas City Star, 8 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anguishing
Verb
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Deeply troubled by the demographic and social problems plaguing the Nenets people, Nerkagi founded the Land of Hope—a tundra school for children which combines modern and traditional education and provides support to orphans and lonely elders.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
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But since 2023, local municipalities have argued that the majority of ozone plaguing the cities is not their fault.—
Sarah Henry,
AZCentral.com,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The main motivation is the seven grieving families.—
Ashley Sharp,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
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Families would not be grieving.—
Jeff Amy,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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There’s the one about afflicting the comfortable and comforting the afflicted.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
13 Mar. 2026
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One of the strengths of the film is a precise visual design that alternates between distance and intimacy, with Caswill using the landscapes of her Alberta location to clearly and concisely express the sense of loneliness and isolation afflicting her heroine.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Money-minded Venus conjoins aching Chiron in your 4th House of Domesticity, feathering their nests as an example to you.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
26 Mar. 2026
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Krauss joins Combs on the chorus, her airy vocal serving as a soothing balm over his gritty, aching voice.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But so often left unsaid by Gu are the moral ambiguities that come with choosing to represent a country that has been heavily criticized by Human Rights Watch, among other watchdog groups, for denying rights of freedom of expression and for persecuting government critics.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
17 Feb. 2026
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The term refers to biblical passages in which Jesus described Jews in specific communities who were persecuting the early Christians.—
Jennifer Berry Hawes,
ProPublica,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Sanders was still mourning the loss of his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers, who’d fled west, to Los Angeles, nearly seventy years ago.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
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Although Alison Brie fans are still mourning Zoya the Destroya, the Masters of the Universe star is enjoying her latest taste of onscreen evil.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Two recent cases of parents in Round Lake Beach and Fox Lake charged with several counts each of torturing and abusing their children — in one case allegedly causing a son’s death — point to the need for some sort of parental licensing.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
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The Ayatollah ruled as a brutal dictator, killing and torturing his own people, imposing harsh restrictions on basic freedoms, and put the lives of our troops and global allies constantly at risk.—
Derek Tran,
Oc Register,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But the people in these plays aren’t sighing and slumping.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
23 Mar. 2026
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And while many might be reluctant to close the time capsule door on their beloved skinnies, some of us are sighing with relief that the current denim trend is comfy enough for travel.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anguishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anguishing. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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