How to pronounce anguish
Say it like ANG-gwish. Anguish has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ANG).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce anguish. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- ANG
- gwish
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Anguish pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ANGSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- gwishKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
American vs British pronunciation of anguish
American and British speakers say anguish in essentially the same way: /ˈæŋɡwɪʃ/ in the US and /ˈæŋɡwɪʃ/ in the UK.
British respelling: ANG-gwish.
What does anguish mean?
- Extreme pain, either of body or mind; excruciating distress; an emotional state caused by intense misery or suffering.“It took years to overcome the anguish from my wife's death.”
- To suffer pain.
- To cause to suffer pain.
Where does anguish come from?
From Middle English angwissh, anguishe, angoise, from Anglo-Norman anguise, anguisse, from Old French angoisse, from Latin angustia (“narrowness, scarcity, difficulty, distress”), from angustus (“narrow, difficult”), from angere (“to press
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying anguish
How do you pronounce anguish?
Say ANG-gwish. The American pronunciation is /ˈæŋɡwɪʃ/. In British English it is /ˈæŋɡwɪʃ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in anguish?
Anguish has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (ANG). Broken into parts: ANG · gwish.
Do Americans and Brits say anguish the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈæŋɡwɪʃ/ and the British form is /ˈæŋɡwɪʃ/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.