anguished

adjective

an·​guished ˈaŋ-gwisht How to pronounce anguished (audio)
1
: suffering anguish : tormented
the anguished martyrs
2
: expressing anguish : agonized
anguished cries

Examples of anguished in a Sentence

the military's explanation of the accident did nothing to console the anguished widow
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
An anguished call from a Los Gatos pediatrician about a malnourished infant in late 1974 spurred Teresa Asquith into action and brought Mothers’ Milk Bank California into reality. Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 15 Oct. 2024 What was once an anguished whim or a distant wish, which had turned into ravaging despair, has now turned into an irrevocable demand for fundamental political change and freedom. Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 2 Feb. 2023 Ras read an anguished poem at her funeral, praising her bravery. Kelefa Sanneh, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2024 Park’s film was remade by Spike Lee in 2013, but that version didn’t come close to the anguished but often witty poetry of Park’s version. Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 30 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for anguished 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English anguysched, from past participle of anguischen "to anguish entry 2"

First Known Use

1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of anguished was in 1570

Dictionary Entries Near anguished

Cite this Entry

“Anguished.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anguished. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

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