anguish
ANG-gwish
/ˈæŋɡwɪʃ/
Severe mental or physical pain or suffering; in philosophy, the weight of total responsibility for one's choices.
Existential anguish arises from realizing that you are entirely free and responsible for defining yourself without a safety net.
The story behind the word. Traced back to Latin angere, meaning 'to squeeze painfully or strangle'. This image of tight constriction evolved into the psychological feeling of intense mental tightness and emotional torment.
Word relationships
- agony: Agony can be purely physical pain; anguish emphasizes deep psychological suffering.
- serenity: A state of calm, peacefulness, and untroubled clarity.
Commonly confused with
- anxiety: Anxiety is general apprehension; existential anguish stems specifically from the burden of absolute freedom.
Word family
- anguished (adjective): Experiencing or expressing severe mental torment.
Collocations
- profound anguish
- mental anguish
- existential anguish
- express anguish
Idioms & expressions
- in the throes of anguish
Example sentences
- "Sartre argued that absolute freedom carries profound anguish, as every action sets an example for all humanity." Existential philosophy
- "Her heart was filled with anguish upon hearing the unexpected tragic news." Literature
Memory hook
ANGUISH squeezes your heart like an ANGRY fist. Squeezed by internal pain.
When not to use
Do not confuse with routine stress or simple frustration over daily inconveniences.
Fun facts
- The root of anguish also gave us the word 'anger' and 'angina'.
Related words
Explore more words
hardship, dread, apprehensive, poignant, shriek, devastation
Also appears in
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