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.
At the time, Gates’s message barely registered, whereas the speeches this spring led to a prolonged cycle of anguished debate. Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 23 June 2025 The vice president’s anguished and inordinately diplomatic communiqué read like a love letter to two feuding parents. Noah Rothman, National Review, 18 June 2025 After all, what would be more appropriate for our moment than a franchise movie that devolves into a series of anguished and disjointed screams? Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2025 Now comes their follow-up, with a soundalike title, but quite a different mood—more mournful, more anguished, more serious. Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 30 May 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Anguished.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anguished. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on anguished

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!