Cool MateDistress vs He's in agony
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Distress
Beyond 10,000 (less common)C1noun
He's in agony
Top 3,000 (common)
Most common: He's in agony
| Distress | He's in agony | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //dɪsˈtrɛs//🇺🇸 //dɪsˈtrɛs// | 🇬🇧 //ˈæɡəni//🇺🇸 //ˈæɡəni// |
| Meaning | Great worry or suffering. | He is in great pain. |
| Example | The news caused her great distress. | After the accident, he's in agony and needs immediate help. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Beyond 10,000 (less common) | Top 3,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | C1 | - |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | emotional distress, signs of distress, in distress, cause distress, face distress | in physical agony, in emotional agony, crying in agony, feel agony, express agony |
| Antonyms | comfort, relief, ease | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'stress' - 'distress' is more intense and negative., Used incorrectly in the plural form - 'distress' is usually uncountable., Misinterpreted as physical pain - it primarily refers to emotional suffering. | Confused with 'ecstasy' which is an intense joy, not pain., Omitting 'in' and saying 'He's agony' instead., 'Agony' is often misused to describe minor discomfort. |
| Usage notes | Use 'distress' to describe emotional pain or anxiety. Avoid informal contexts; 'distress' fits well in psychological or medical discussions. | Used to express intense physical or emotional pain. Appropriate in both casual and serious contexts but avoid exaggeration in light-hearted conversations. |
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Frequently asked questions: Distress vs He's in agony
What's the difference between Distress and He's in agony?
Distress: Great worry or suffering. He's in agony: He is in great pain.
Which is more common: Distress and He's in agony?
He's in agony is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Distress: The news caused her great distress. He's in agony: After the accident, he's in agony and needs immediate help.
Can I use Distress and He's in agony interchangeably?
Not always. Distress and He's in agony are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.