agonizing 1 of 3

adjective

ˈa-gə-ˌnī-ziŋ How to pronounce agonizing (audio)
Definition of agonizingnext
1
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally agonizing cries rose up from the dungeon

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2
as in wrenching
intensely or unbearably painful died an agonizing death

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agonizing

2 of 3

noun

1
as in suffering

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2
as in indecision

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agonizing

3 of 3

verb

present participle of agonize
1
as in plaguing
to cause persistent suffering to got into more trouble, further agonizing her poor mother

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in grieving
to feel deep sadness or mental pain agonized for days over whether she'd done the right thing

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of agonizing
Adjective
In the final minute of stoppage time Cape Verde missed an agonizing last second shot but still claimed a point! — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 27 June 2026 For nearly two agonizing minutes, the bear runs toward her then backs away, rearing up on its hind legs several times, revealing its massive size. — Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 26 June 2026
Noun
My agonizing over a coin toss illustrates the basic distortion that gambling exerts on spectating. — Rand Richards Cooper, Hartford Courant, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
The parents who keep looking for him, agonizing over his health. — Connor Letourneau, San Francisco Chronicle, 7 Mar. 2026 Since then, Arsenal has flirted with a series of agonizing near misses, most notably pipped at the post by Manchester City in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 Premier League campaigns. — Aleks Klosok, CNN Money, 26 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for agonizing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agonizing
  1. painful
  2. wrenching
  3. suffering
  4. indecision
  5. plaguing
  6. grieving
  7. harsh
  8. torturous
Adjective
  • When asked whether this was the most painful moment of his football career, Tuchel would not commit.
    — Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • England was knocked out of the World Cup in painful fashion on Wednesday, surrendering two goals in the final 15 minutes of its semifinal clash with Argentina.
    — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 18 July 2026
Definition of painful
Adjective
  • His most wrenching scene, when Stagg receives a devastating personal call but cannot react amid the intense geopolitical stakes, captured this tension.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 26 May 2026
  • Another wrenching question, of course, is whether at least the younger Perez siblings would want or need to go with Olga to Guatemala if she were deported.
    — Tim Padgett, Sun Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026
Definition of wrenching
Noun
  • Football is not the only sport where suffering has become a rite of passage for success.
    — Colin Millar, New York Times, 19 July 2026
  • But suffering – and the resilience that comes from working through it – are part of Argentine culture.
    — Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
Definition of suffering
Noun
  • And Anne Hathaway, in a bravura performance, situates Penelope on an emotional precipice, caught between indecision and indignation, between yearning for her husband and a palpable disgust with the alternatives.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
  • Changing an opinion without evidence may be indecision, but changing it because the facts, valuation, or probability of success have shifted is discipline.
    — Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of indecision
Verb
  • But controversies are plaguing the league, Clark has become an unwilling symbol of racial polarization and GOP members of Congress are entering the fray.
    — Joel Mathis, TheWeek, 17 July 2026
  • But one low-key issue plaguing the KC staff is the long ball.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 12 July 2026
Definition of plaguing
Verb
  • The flooding brings back painful memories for the community, as many residents are still grieving the losses caused by last July’s floods, Kerrville Police Chief Jerel Haley said Thursday.
    — Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
  • Slonim cataloged a mountain of evidence alone, coordinated with the ATF and the Yolo DA, and interviewed suspects and grieving families.
    — Joe Rubin, Sacbee.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of grieving
Adjective
  • The couple made sure the design included a basement where the kids could spend time, better insulation to handle South Dakota’s harsh weather and plenty of storage — all features their previous home lacked.
    — Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026
  • Those are some of the harsh conditions that detainees in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody described experiencing in recent weeks at the Federal Detention Center, a Bureau of Prisons facility located in a concrete tower in downtown Miami.
    — Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026
Definition of harsh
Adjective
  • In theaters July 17, The Odyssey tells the story of Greek hero Odysseus’ long, torturous and fantastical trip home from the Trojan War, back to the Kingdom of Ithaca to save his wife and son.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 6 July 2026
  • As part of her job, Angèle needs to daub makeup on the models’ feet, blistered from the torturous heels they’re forced to wear.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 26 June 2026
Definition of torturous

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Cite this Entry

“Agonizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agonizing. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on agonizing

Nglish: Translation of agonizing for Spanish Speakers

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