ANGUISH Synonyms: 253 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'anguish' different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of anguish are grief , regret , sorrow , and woe . While all these words mean "distress of mind," anguish suggests torturing grief or dread. // the anguish felt by the parents of the kidnapped child

Q: When could 'grief' be used to replace 'anguish'?

The words grief and anguish are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, grief implies poignant sorrow for an immediate cause. // the inexpressible grief of the bereaved parents

Q: When can 'regret' be used instead of 'anguish'?

Although the words regret and anguish have much in common, regret implies pain caused by deep disappointment, fruitless longing, or unavailing remorse. // nagging regret for missed opportunities

Q: When might 'sorrow' be a better fit than 'anguish'?

While the synonyms sorrow and anguish are close in meaning, sorrow implies a sense of loss or a sense of guilt and remorse. // a family united in sorrow upon the patriarch's death

Q: When would 'woe' be a good substitute for 'anguish'?

The meanings of woe and anguish largely overlap; however, woe is deep or inconsolable grief or misery. // cries of woe echoed throughout the bombed city

anguish 1 of 2

noun

ˈaŋ-gwish

Definition of anguish

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in sorrow

deep sadness especially for the loss of someone or something loved words can't express my anguish at losing my cat

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

anguish

2 of 2

verb

as in to plague

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

as in to grieve

to feel deep sadness or mental pain I anguished over the loss of my father for years afterwards

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word anguish different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of anguish are grief, regret, sorrow, and woe. While all these words mean "distress of mind," anguish suggests torturing grief or dread.

the anguish felt by the parents of the kidnapped child

When could grief be used to replace anguish?

The words grief and anguish are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, grief implies poignant sorrow for an immediate cause.

the inexpressible grief of the bereaved parents

When can regret be used instead of anguish?

Although the words regret and anguish have much in common, regret implies pain caused by deep disappointment, fruitless longing, or unavailing remorse.

nagging regret for missed opportunities

When might sorrow be a better fit than anguish?

While the synonyms sorrow and anguish are close in meaning, sorrow implies a sense of loss or a sense of guilt and remorse.

a family united in sorrow upon the patriarch's death

When would woe be a good substitute for anguish?

The meanings of woe and anguish largely overlap; however, woe is deep or inconsolable grief or misery.

cries of woe echoed throughout the bombed city

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 anguish

Noun

His lament mirrored the anguish of legions of Venezuelans who endured harrowing days clearing rubble by hand before crews with heavy equipment and rescue dogs belatedly arrived. — Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026 The claimants are asking for $10 million against each respondent and said their damages include medical care, psychological and counseling care and pain, suffering and mental anguish. — Joshua Dougherty, Idaho Statesman, 22 June 2026

Verb

Especially for someone whose entire adult life has been immersed in the adrenaline-infusion of coaching — from its exhilarating highs and anguishing lows to simply always being in the middle of so much. — Kansas City Star, 1 Apr. 2026 His effort to have (ahem) his cake and eat it too regarding Iran — acting reportedly anguished behind closed doors but publicly supportive of the administration — speaks to a level of calculation that makes people uncomfortable. — Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for anguish

Recent Examples of Synonyms for anguish

Noun

Watch closely for signs of heat distress in yourself and others, including your neighbors and the elderly, Delaney said.

— Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Never upside down — The flag should never be displayed upside down except as a signal of distress.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 3 July 2026

Definition of distress

Noun

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed sorrow over the crash and offered condolences to the victims' families.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
Croatia’s World Cup exit was not without a fight, with a last-minute, stoppage time goal that likely had fans screaming at the TV in jubilation, and then in sorrow.

— Alex Connor, USA Today, 3 July 2026

Definition of sorrow

Verb

Sixty years later, young Alma Singer begins searching for the writer of her mother’s favorite book, hoping to bring romance to her grieving parent.

— The Know, Denver Post, 5 July 2026
The movie follows Gugino as a grieving woman who takes in her troubled nephew, but their lives are upended when an otherworldly entity begins hunting him.

— Scott Huver, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026

Definition of grieve

Noun

Rojas said the earthquakes have caused agony for Venezuelan players, even those who didn’t lose family or friends.

— Greg Beacham, Chicago Tribune, 6 July 2026
There were the two calls in September, one about a detainee who lay on the floor holding his stomach in agony and unable to speak after swallowing an unknown object.

— Perla Trevizo, ProPublica, 3 July 2026

Definition of agony

Noun

After learning that her friend Shannon’s mother has died in a car accident, Elle is suddenly facing her first real encounter with grief and, unable to sit with it, throws herself into planning the memorial, down to selecting the music.

— Angelina Mazza, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
This town has known seasons of many stripes, from that autumn of grief after 9/11 to that spring of solitude and trepidation as COVID-19 first emerged.

— ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026

Definition of grief

Verb

Symptoms resemble other types of pneumonia and can include fever, chills, muscle aches, and cough.

— Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 4 July 2026
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome causes fatigue, fever, muscle aches, abdominal problems, headaches, chills and dizziness in the early stages, and late symptoms include chest tightness, coughing, shortness of breath and lungs filling with fluid.

— Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

Definition of ache

Browse Nearby Words

angst

anguish

anguished

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Anguish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anguish. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of anguish

noun

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on anguish

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

perfunctory

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes