Agony vs Anguish vs Distress vs Pain vs Suffering vs Torment

Cuándo usar cada una en inglés, con significado, registro y ejemplos.

Agony

Top 3000 (común)

Anguish

FormalTop 5000 (bastante común)

Distress

Más de 10 000 (menos común)C1noun

Pain

Top 1000 (muy común)A2noun

Suffering

Top 1000 (muy común)B2noun

Torment

Top 5000 (bastante común)B1noun
Más formal: Anguish
 AgonyAnguishDistressPainSufferingTorment
Pronunciación🇬🇧 //ˈæɡəni//🇺🇸 //ˈæɡəni//🇬🇧 //ˈæŋɡwɪʃ//🇺🇸 //ˈæŋɡwɪʃ//🇬🇧 //dɪsˈtrɛs//🇺🇸 //dɪsˈtrɛs//🇬🇧 /["/peɪn/"]/🇺🇸 /["/peɪn/"]/🇬🇧 /["/ˈsʌfərɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈsʌfərɪŋ/"]/🇬🇧 //ˈtɔː.mɛnt//🇺🇸 //ˈtɔːr.mɛnt//
SignificadoVery severe pain or suffering.Extreme sadness or pain.Gran preocupación o sufrimiento.Great worry or suffering.sensación desagradable o malestar en el cuerpounpleasant feeling or discomfort in the bodyLa experiencia de dolor o angustia.The experience of pain or distress.dolor o sufrimiento extremoextreme pain or suffering
EjemploHe screamed in agony after breaking his leg.She cried out in anguish after receiving the bad news.The news caused her great distress.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.
RegistroNeutralFormalNeutralNeutralNeutralNeutral
Qué tan comúnTop 3000 (común)Top 5000 (bastante común)Más de 10 000 (menos común)Top 1000 (muy común)Top 1000 (muy común)Top 5000 (bastante común)
Nivel CEFR--C1A2B2B1
Categoría gramaticalnounnounnounnoun
Colocacionesin agony, agony of defeat, silent agony, emotional agony, physical agonyanguish of childbirth, anguish over loss, anguish in silence, feel anguish, express anguishemotional distress, signs of distress, in distress, cause distress, face distressacute, 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 faceenormous, great, immense, amount, degree, level, cause (somebody), inflict, increase, pain and suffering, enormous, great, immense, amount, degree, level, cause (somebody), inflict, increase, pain and sufferingmental torment, physical torment, torture and torment, live in torment, feel torment
Antónimoscomfort, ease, reliefjoy, happiness, comfortcomfort, relief, easepleasure, comfort, well-beingcomfort, relief, well-beingcomfort, relief, pleasure
Errores comunesConfusing 'agony' with 'anguish' - while similar, 'anguish' often refers to emotional suffering., Using 'agony' for minor discomfort - it's reserved for significant pain., Mixing up 'agony' with 'gloom' - 'gloom' refers to sadness, not pain.Confused with 'anguish' vs 'anguished' (the adjective form), Overused in casual contexts where 'pain' or 'sadness' might be more appropriate, Spelled incorrectly as 'anguise'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 '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.
Notas de usoUsed in both formal and informal contexts, often to describe extreme physical or emotional pain. Avoid in casual conversation unless discussing intense feelings.Use 'anguish' in serious or emotional contexts. It's often found in literature and formal writing, less in casual conversation.Usa 'angustia' para describir el dolor emocional o la ansiedad. Evita contextos informales; 'angustia' encaja bien en discusiones psicológicas o médicas.Use 'distress' to describe emotional pain or anxiety. Avoid informal contexts; 'distress' fits well in psychological or medical discussions.Se usa en contextos formales e informales. Evita usarlo a la ligera; puede ser serio al hablar de problemas médicos.Used in both formal and informal contexts. Avoid using it lightly; can be serious when discussing medical issues.Se usa tanto en contextos formales como informales. Puede describir dolor físico o emocional. Ten cuidado de no confundirlo con 'suffer', que es la forma verbal.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.Usa 'tormento' para describir un sufrimiento emocional o físico severo. Es neutral, adecuado tanto para contextos escritos como hablados.Use 'torment' to describe severe emotional or physical suffering. It's neutral, suitable for both written and spoken contexts.

Míralo en clips reales

Agony
Anguish
Pain

Preguntas frecuentes: Agony vs Anguish vs Distress vs Pain vs Suffering vs Torment

¿Cuál es la diferencia entre Agony, Anguish, Distress, Pain, Suffering y Torment?

Agony: Very severe pain or suffering. Anguish: Extreme sadness or pain. Distress: Great worry or suffering. Pain: unpleasant feeling or discomfort in the body Suffering: The experience of pain or distress. Torment: extreme pain or suffering

¿Cuál es más formal: Agony, Anguish, Distress, Pain, Suffering y Torment?

Anguish es la más formal de estas.

¿Cuál es más avanzada: Agony, Anguish, Distress, Pain, Suffering y Torment?

Distress es la de nivel más alto, en C1, en la escala CEFR.

¿Puedes mostrar un ejemplo de cada una?

Agony: He screamed in agony after breaking his leg. Anguish: She cried out in anguish after receiving the bad news. Distress: The news caused her great distress. 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.

¿Puedo usar Agony, Anguish, Distress, Pain, Suffering y Torment indistintamente?

No siempre. Agony, Anguish, Distress, Pain, Suffering y Torment están relacionadas y a veces se solapan, pero difieren en registro, frecuencia y uso, así que cambiar una por otra puede alterar el significado o el tono. Revisa las diferencias de arriba antes de sustituir.