agony column

noun

1

chiefly British : a newspaper column of personal advertisements relating especially to missing relatives or friends

2

chiefly British : a newspaper column that includes letters from readers seeking personal advice and the columnist's replies

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Years later, Paul settles down alone in the countryside to run something called the Frogworth Valley Artisanal Cheese Company and acquires a taste for reading lachrymose agony columns in the local newspaper. —New York Times, 26 Apr. 2018

Years later, Paul settles down alone in the countryside to run something called the Frogworth Valley Artisanal Cheese Company and acquires a taste for reading lachrymose agony columns in the local newspaper. —New York Times, 26 Apr. 2018

Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined at sense 1