agonize

verb ag·o·nize \ ˈa-gə-ˌnīz \

|Updated on: 10 Jun 2018

Examples: agonize in a Sentence

Definition of agonize

agonized; agonizing

transitive verb

: to cause to suffer agony : torture

intransitive verb

1 : to suffer agony, torture, or anguish

agonizes over every decision

2 : struggle

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Examples of agonize in a Sentence

got into more trouble, further agonizing her poor mother
agonized for days over whether she'd done the right thing

Recent Examples of agonize from the Web

In almost every case, the families have described heart-wrenching goodbyes and agonizing uncertainty about whether they would be reunited.

— author: amy b wang, Anchorage Daily News, "The U.S. lost track of 1,475 immigrant children last year - here’s why people are outraged now," 28 May 2018
In almost every case, the families have described heart-wrenching goodbyes and agonizing uncertainty about whether they would be reunited.

— the washington post, NOLA.com, "The U.S. lost track of 1,475 immigrant children last year; here's why people are outraged now," 28 May 2018
In almost every case, the families have described heart-wrenching goodbyes and agonizing uncertainty about whether they would be reunited.

— amy b wang, The Seattle Times, "The U.S. lost track of 1,475 immigrant children last year — here’s why people are outraged now," 28 May 2018
But underscoring the Phoenix frustration, every other team in the top 10 has an NBA title. Without-a-title wasteland Among NBA fan bases that are without championships, Phoenix has the best case for the most agonized.

— greg moore, azcentral, "Moore: What would an NBA title mean to Phoenix Suns fans? Everything.," 26 May 2018
But there’s something deliberate about the design elements in the series, just as there’s a reason boutiques festoon their doorways with artificial flowers and coffee shops agonize over the right shade of sage for their subway tiles.

— sophie gilbert, The Atlantic, "Little Women for the Instagram Generation," 14 May 2018
The dark songs find the House of Balloons artist agonizing over the trials and tribulations of his recent life.

— michael saponara, Billboard, "Ranking Each Song From The Weeknd's 'My Dear Melancholy' EP: Critic's Pick," 30 Mar. 2018
The Southern Baptist Convention has agonized in the past decade over how to respond to rising rates of divorce among its members.

— michelle boorstein, ajc, "Southern Baptist leader pushes back after comments leak urging abused women to pray, avoid divorce," 30 Apr. 2018
Leveraging his on-screen charm just as alcoholics often do in life, Washington makes the resulting spectacle of Whitaker’s bottoming-out, his self-destruction, agonizing to behold.

— chris jones, chicagotribune.com, "In 'The Iceman Cometh' on Broadway, Denzel Washington is mesmerizing, stunning — he's the bottom of the bottle," 27 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'agonize.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of agonize

borrowed from Middle French agoniser "to exercise, struggle, suffer, (in past participle agonisé) torment," borrowed from Medieval Latin agōnizāre "to struggle, suffer death pangs," going back to Late Latin, "to fight, wrestle," borrowed from Greek agōnízesthai "to contest, fight," verbal derivative of agṓn "assembly, contest" — more at agony

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1570

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2

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