heypolyglot
Italian

angoscia

/anˈɡɔʃ.ʃa/noun · feminineB2
Common · Top 3,000

Meaning

anguish

In a sentence

Prima dell'esame, sento sempre un po' di angoscia.

Before the exam, I always feel a bit of anguish.

Hai provato angoscia quando lui non rispondeva?

Did you feel anguish when he wasn't answering?

Per fortuna, l'angoscia è passata dopo la chiamata.

Luckily, the anguish went away after the call.

Word forms (2)
WordWord forms
angosciafeminine · singular
angoscefeminine · plural

Usage notes

  • Stronger and more existential than ansia; use it for deep emotional distress, not everyday nervousness before a test or meeting.
  • Common with verbs like provare, sentire, alleviare, and with avere: avere un'angoscia addosso is idiomatic and colloquial.
  • Often followed by di + infinitive or per + noun: angoscia di morire, angoscia per il futuro.

Related words

Opposites

Explore vocabulary lessons →