Spanish word

angustia

Pronunciation

IPA/aŋˈgustja/

Meaning

  • feminine nounanxiety

Example

Siento una gran angustia antes del examen.

I feel great anxiety before the exam.

Illustration for angustia (anxiety)

More examples

La noticia le provocó mucha angustia.

The news caused him great anxiety.

Core concept

A constricting knot of intense inner distress.

Common phrases

  • tener angustia

    have anxiety

  • sufrir angustia

    suffer from anxiety

  • un ataque de angustia

    an anxiety attack

Similar words

ansiedad: Persistent, anticipatory worry and mental tension that lingers over time.
preocupación: Focused worry about a particular matter that keeps attention on a problem.
inquietud: Low-level restlessness or unease that makes settling and relaxing difficult.
nerviosismo: Acute jittery nervousness marked by fidgeting, tension, or shaky sensations.

Definition in Spanish

Estado de inquietud intensa y sufrimiento interior que provoca malestar emocional y a veces sensación de opresión en el pecho.

Word origin

Derived from Latin angustus 'narrow', referring to constriction, with the physical idea of tightness extending metaphorically to painful mental anguish.

Usage tips

  • Although English 'anguish' is a close cognate, Spanish angustia commonly signals urgent, suffocating distress while ansiedad covers more prolonged or anticipatory worry.

Other meanings

  • anguishnoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word