Word.ws English Dictionary

Synonyms of anguish

33 similar words · 1 opposite word

Another word for anguish is suffer. Other synonyms of anguish are hurt, ache, agonize, rack and pine.

Synonyms and similar words for anguish

nounExtreme pain, either of body or mind; excruciating distress; an emotional state caused by intense...

  • agonyExtreme pain or anguish.
  • calvary
  • cross
  • pangA paroxysm of extreme physical pain or anguish; a feeling of sudden and transitory agony; a throe.
  • tortureSevere pain or anguish, of mind or body.
  • tormentAny extreme pain, anguish or misery, either physical or mental.
  • anguishmentSynonym of anguish.
  • bereavementThe state of being bereaved; deprivation; especially the loss of a relative by death.
  • living deathA condition of suffering, solitude, or impairment so extreme as to deprive one's existence of all happiness and meaning.
  • throe
  • rendA violent separation of parts.
  • difficulty
  • distressPhysical or emotional discomfort, suffering, or alarm, particularly of a more acute nature.
  • griefSuffering, hardship.
  • hardshipDifficulty or trouble; hard times.
  • painThe condition or fact of suffering or anguish especially mental, as opposed to pleasure; torment; distress.
  • smartMental pain or suffering; grief; affliction.
  • troubleThe state of being troubled, disturbed, or distressed mentally; unease, disquiet.

verbTo suffer pain.

  • hurtTo be painful.
  • sufferTo feel pain.
  • acheTo suffer pain; to be the source of, or be in, pain, especially continued dull pain; to be distressed.
  • agonizeTo writhe with agony; to suffer violent anguish.
  • passionTo suffer pain or sorrow; to experience a passion; to be extremely agitated.
  • thole British, dialectalTo suffer.
  • wark British, dialectalTo be in pain; ache.
  • wring figurativelyTo cause distress or pain to (a person or their heart, soul, etc.); to distress, to torment.

verbTo cause to suffer pain.

  • afflictTo cause (someone) pain, suffering or distress.
  • aggrieveTo cause someone to feel pain or sorrow to; to afflict.
  • dere British, dialectalTo hurt; harm; injure; wound.
  • excruciateTo inflict intense pain or mental distress on (someone); to torture.
  • irritateTo induce pain in (all or part of a body or organism).
  • pineTo inflict pain upon; to torment.
  • rackTo cause (someone) to suffer pain.

Opposite of anguish

nounExtreme pain, either of body or mind; excruciating distress; an emotional state caused by intense...

  • blissPerfect happiness.

Meaning of anguish

  1. noun Extreme pain, either of body or mind; excruciating distress; an emotional state caused by intense misery or suffering.
  2. verb To suffer pain.
  3. verb To cause to suffer pain.

Full definition of anguish

anguish in other languages

Questions about synonyms of anguish

What is another word for anguish?
Anguish has 33 synonyms on Word.ws, such as suffer, hurt, ache, agonize, rack, pine, afflict and irritate.
What is the opposite of anguish?
The opposite of anguish is bliss.
What does anguish mean?
Anguish means extreme pain, either of body or mind; excruciating distress; an emotional state caused by intense misery or suffering.

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: anguish (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated:

Cite this page: “Synonyms of anguish.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/anguish. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.