Cool MateDistress vs He's in agony vs Pain vs Suffering vs Torment
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)
Pain
Top 1,000 (very common)A2noun
Suffering
Top 1,000 (very common)B2noun
Torment
Top 5,000 (fairly common)B1noun
| Distress | He's in agony | Pain | Suffering | Torment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //dɪsˈtrɛs//🇺🇸 //dɪsˈtrɛs// | 🇬🇧 //ˈæɡəni//🇺🇸 //ˈæɡəni// | 🇬🇧 /["/peɪn/"]/🇺🇸 /["/peɪn/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈsʌfərɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈsʌfərɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ˈtɔː.mɛnt//🇺🇸 //ˈtɔːr.mɛnt// |
| Meaning | Great worry or suffering. | He is in great pain. | unpleasant feeling or discomfort in the body | The experience of pain or distress. | extreme pain or suffering |
| Example | The news caused her great distress. | After the accident, he's in agony and needs immediate help. | She felt a sharp pain in her knee after the fall. | Death finally brought an end to her suffering. | The constant criticism was a source of great torment for her. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Beyond 10,000 (less common) | Top 3,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| CEFR level | C1 | - | A2 | B2 | B1 |
| Part of speech | noun | noun | noun | 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 | acute, agonizing, awful, spasm, stab, be in, be racked with, experience, begin, come, occur, control, management, relief, pain in, aches and pains, a cry of pain, a threshold for pain, great, immense, intense, cause (somebody), give somebody, inflict, the pain etched on somebody’s face | enormous, great, immense, amount, degree, level, cause (somebody), inflict, increase, pain and suffering, enormous, great, immense, amount, degree, level, cause (somebody), inflict, increase, pain and suffering | mental torment, physical torment, torture and torment, live in torment, feel torment |
| Antonyms | comfort, relief, ease | - | pleasure, comfort, well-being | comfort, relief, well-being | comfort, relief, pleasure |
| 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. | Confused with 'gain', often misspoke as 'pain' when meaning something positive., Using inappropriately in casual contexts, like joking about serious conditions., Mixing up with 'ache', which denotes a less intense sensation. | Using 'suffering' as a verb instead of 'suffer'., Confusing 'suffering' with 'sufferings' (the latter is usually used in a different context). | Confusing 'torment' with 'torture' – 'torture' has a stronger, more physical connotation., Using 'torment' in sentences without the right context, especially in casual settings., Mispronouncing the word, leading to misunderstandings. |
| 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. | Used in both formal and informal contexts. Avoid using it lightly; can be serious when discussing medical issues. | Used in both formal and informal contexts. It can describe physical or emotional pain. Be careful not to confuse it with 'suffer', which is the verb form. | Use 'torment' to describe severe emotional or physical suffering. It's neutral, suitable for both written and spoken contexts. |
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Frequently asked questions: Distress vs He's in agony vs Pain vs Suffering vs Torment
What's the difference between Distress, He's in agony, Pain, Suffering, and Torment?
Distress: Great worry or suffering. He's in agony: He is in great pain. Pain: unpleasant feeling or discomfort in the body Suffering: The experience of pain or distress. Torment: extreme pain or suffering
Which is more advanced: Distress, He's in agony, Pain, Suffering, and Torment?
Distress is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.
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. Pain: She felt a sharp pain in her knee after the fall. Suffering: Death finally brought an end to her suffering. Torment: The constant criticism was a source of great torment for her.
Can I use Distress, He's in agony, Pain, Suffering, and Torment interchangeably?
Not always. Distress, He's in agony, Pain, Suffering, and Torment 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.