agonizing

adjective

ag·​o·​niz·​ing ˈa-gə-ˌnī-ziŋ How to pronounce agonizing (audio)
Synonyms of agonizingnext
: causing agony
an agonizing injury
agonizingly adverb

Examples of agonizing in a Sentence

a long and agonizing battle with cancer She made the agonizing decision to cancel the trip. The agonizing wait was finally over. He was in agonizing pain.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Perhaps roughing out an Our Town column--perhaps including mention of TC, that is to say Traveling Companion aka Carol--or perhaps agonizing over Carol's accounts and her deplorable willingness to sell on credit to bibliomaniacs like myself. Arkansas Online, 8 Jan. 2026 Watching this slow-motion tragedy unfold is agonizing. Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2026 The moderator rested her hand on her head throughout the agonizing chat about Chalamet and his partner, Kylie Jenner. Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Jan. 2026 The process of identifying the dead and injured continued on Saturday, leading to an agonizing wait for relatives. John Leicester, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for agonizing

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of agonize

First Known Use

1570, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of agonizing was in 1570

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Agonizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/agonizing. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on agonizing

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!