What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Torment vs Anguish - What's the difference?

torment | anguish |

Anguish is a synonym of torment.



In transitive terms the difference between torment and anguish

is that torment is to cause severe suffering to (stronger than to vex but weaker than to torture. while anguish is to cause to suffer pain.

torment

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • (obsolete) A catapult or other kind of war-engine.
  • Torture, originally as inflicted by an instrument of torture.
  • Any extreme pain, anguish or misery, either physical or mental.
    • He was bitter from the torments of the divorce system.
  • * Bible, Matthew iv. 24
    • They brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments .

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * tormentous

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To cause severe suffering to (stronger than to vex'' but weaker than ''to torture. )
    • The child tormented the flies by pulling their wings off.
  • * 2013 , Phil McNulty, " Man City 4-1 Man Utd", BBC Sport , 22 September 2013:
    • Moyes, who never won a derby at Liverpool in 11 years as Everton manager, did not find the Etihad any more forgiving as City picked United apart in midfield, where Toure looked in a different class to United's £27.5m new boy Marouane Fellaini, and in defence as Aguero tormented Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand.

    Derived terms

    * tormentor

    anguish

    English

    Noun

  • Extreme pain, either of body or mind; excruciating distress.
  • * Bible, Exodus vi. 9
    • But they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
  • * Latimer
    • Ye miserable people, you must go to God in anguishes , and make your prayer to him.
  • * 1889 , :
    • A terrible scream—a prolonged yell of horror and anguish —burst out of the silence of the moor. That frightful cry turned the blood to ice in my veins.

    Synonyms

    * agony, calvary, cross, pang, torture, torment * See also:

    Related terms

    () * agnail, hangnail * anger * angst * anxiety * anxious * terminal anguish

    Verb

    (es)
  • To suffer pain.
  • * (rfdate) 1900s , Kl. Knigge, Iceland Folk Song , traditional, Harmony: H. Ruland
    • We’re leaving these shores for our time has come, the days of our youth must now end. The hearts bitter anguish , it burns for the home that we’ll never see again.
  • To cause to suffer pain.

    • External links

    * *