Anguish is severe mental or emotional suffering, the kind of deep pain that feels almost physical even though it comes from your mind and heart. When someone experiences anguish, they're consumed by intense distress that can make it hard to think about anything else.

You might feel anguish if a beloved pet dies, or if you accidentally hurt a close friend in a way that damages your friendship. A character in a novel might be in anguish after making a terrible mistake that harms someone they love. The word captures that awful feeling when your chest feels tight, your stomach churns, and you can't shake the weight of what's happened.

Anguish is stronger than worry or sadness. It's the difference between feeling nervous about a test and feeling devastated after letting down your entire team in a championship game. The word often appears in serious contexts: anguished cries, the anguish of waiting for important news, or the anguish someone feels when facing an impossible choice.

Everyone experiences anguish at some point, but it's a word reserved for moments of genuine torment, when emotional pain cuts especially deep.