verb
acongojar
sadden
Definition & meaning
The verb acongojar means to cause someone to feel deep sadness, distress, anguish, or affliction. It refers to a state of emotional overwhelm where a person feels constricted or burdened by grief or worry.
There are two primary nuances:
- To distress or sadden someone deeply: Causing a person to feel heavy-hearted or depressed.
- To feel overwhelmed or stifled: Often used in the reflexive form (acongojarse), it describes the physical or mental sensation of being "choked up" by emotions, making it difficult to breathe or speak due to sorrow.
Grammar & Word origin
Grammar:
- It is a transitive verb, though it is very frequently used as a reflexive verb (acongojarse).
- It belongs to the first conjugation group (-ar verbs).
Word origin:
- The word derives from the Spanish noun congoja, which comes from the Old Spanish congoxa.
- Etymologically, it traces back to the Latin conangustia, formed by the prefix con- (together/with) and angustia (tightness, distress, or anguish). Therefore, the root sense of the word is "to be constricted or tightened together" by sorrow.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
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Examples
La noticia acongojó a toda la familia.verb
The news saddened the whole family.
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