Anguish

/ˈæŋɡwɪʃ/

Meaning & Definition

noun

Severe mental or physical pain or suffering.

The anguish of losing a loved one can be overwhelming.

A state of extreme distress or torment.

She felt a deep anguish over the difficult decision she had to make.

verb

To suffer or cause to suffer severe physical or mental pain.

He anguished over the mistakes he made in the past.

To be very distressed or worried about something.

She anguished for hours, hoping for news from her friend.

Middle English, from Latin 'anguishia', from 'anguere' meaning 'to cause to choke or suffer.'

anguish of the soul

Deep emotional suffering or torment.

anguish in silence

Suffering quietly without expressing one's pain.

anguished

Experiencing severe emotional pain.

anguishing

Causing severe distress or suffering.

Heavy heart

After the breakup, he walked around with a heavy heart.

In a bad place

After failing the exam, she felt like she was in a bad place emotionally.