ANGUISHING Synonyms: 136 Similar and Opposite Words

anguishing

verb

present participle of anguish

as in plaguing

to cause persistent suffering to she was anguished by the fear that her sons would die in the war

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in grieving

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 anguishing Hong Kong is an anguishing example. — Michelle Kuo, The Dial, 14 Apr. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for anguishing

Verb

This is the latest of a string of thefts plaguing France and Europe more broadly, which have made headlines since thieves broke into the Louvre in October 2025 and were able to get away with much of the country’s remaining crown jewels.

— Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Engineers designed Talon Blue to solve the severe cost overruns and production delays currently plaguing Western militaries.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of plaguing

Verb

Shane Thomson, the high-risk security adviser who warned Hall, Zakrzewski and Kuvshynova not to go beyond the Kyiv city limits, joined the grieving parents in their lawsuit against Fox and Hall.

— David Folkenflik, NPR, 4 Oct. 2026
Her unexpected passing has left fans around the world grieving.

— Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of grieving

Verb

Singh and Jaggseer, like Beyoncé and Lil Nas X before them, highlight an identity crisis afflicting modern country music.

— Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026
The work continues and the Frates family has maintained the passion that Pete instilled in them in fighting the disease that is still afflicting far too many people.

— Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of afflicting

Verb

The aching reality of life for oppressed Black people is never explicitly referred to.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
Japanese arthouse favorite Hirokazu Koreeda returns to his wheelhouse to marvelous effect with Look Back, an aching drama about growing up and making art, featuring a pair of stunning performances from child actors.

— Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of aching

Verb

Biden weaponized Law Enforcement against his political opponent, while also persecuting many other innocent people.

— New York Times, New York Times, 11 June 2026
Jack Hayford, the founder of the King’s University, in Texas, claimed that the film was persecuting Christians, who only wanted to be treated equally.

— Isaac Butler, New Yorker, 30 May 2026

Definition of persecuting

Verb

As federal investigators try to determine the cause of the crash, island residents are mourning the dead and confronting the trade-offs of life so isolated from the rest of Southern California.

— Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
New England Patriots rookie Eli Raridon in mourning the death of his newborn son.

— Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of mourning

Verb

Guevara has never been charged with a crime in connection with allegedly torturing supsects, and the statute of limitations has long since expired on any such charges, Felker said.

— Chris Tye, CBS News, 5 Oct. 2026
In 1996, Pike was found guilty of first-degree murder for beating, torturing and killing Slemmer, a fellow Jobs Corps worker, in a remote area of the University of Tennessee Agricultural campus.

— Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of torturing

Verb

By the 11th game of the third set, Keys was hitting herself in the head with her racket, taking her cap off and sighing deep breaths that were either meant to steady her or out of exasperation.

— Ava Wallace, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026
The soundtrack—by the frequent Hans Zimmer collaborator David Fleming—is a delight, a polyphonic mood board of ghost-clangs, spooky bassoons, lyrical electro-motifs, and sighing sea themes.

— James Parker, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026

Definition of sighing

Browse Nearby Words

anguishes

anguishing

angular

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Anguishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anguishing. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of anguishing

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Luddite

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes