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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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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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
This launch is the culmination of an agonizing rebranding campaign. — New Atlas, 8 Oct. 2026 Hersh was held hostage for 328 sickening, agonizing, and starving days until his captors executed him with five other young and luminous people in a tunnel underneath Gaza. — Rachel Goldberg-Polin, Time, 6 Oct. 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
To your point, agonizing about everything isn’t doing me any favors. — Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2026 Even a lot of contemporary fiction, where the scenario of characters agonizing over whether to have children has become quite common, defaults to a laconic style (very short paragraphs separated by empty space, for example) that channels the familiar wariness about lushness. — Aaron Matz, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 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
  • Some things are too painful for words, and Crystal knows that sense cannot be made from senselessness.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Once people expect benefits, cutting them off is politically painful.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of painful
Adjective
  • Richard Ables guided families through one of life’s most wrenching rituals at the historic Hall Brothers Funeral Home.
    — Paul Schwartzman, Washington Post, 4 Oct. 2026
  • After a quiet episode focused on Hal Jordan’s passing, Lanterns’s penultimate chapter deepens the mystery in surprising and wrenching ways.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of wrenching
Noun
  • Against the backdrop of seemingly endless violence, artists banded together and dabbled in soul, disco, and jazz as a salve to their suffering.
    — Shy Clara Thompson, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The conflict has displaced communities and caused widespread civilian suffering.
    — Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of suffering
Noun
  • In other words, this is a call to trade comfortable indecision (Libra) for a serious plan of action (Capricorn).
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2026
  • After days of indecision, NASCAR disciplined seven people who participated in the attack on young racing star Corey Heim in front of a concession stand at Martinsville Speedway shortly after the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 on Saturday.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of indecision
Verb
  • The 21 states fully running their own marketplaces generally have more robust fraud prevention programs, such as multifactor authentication, and have reported few or none of the kinds of unauthorized sign-ups plaguing the federal marketplace.
    — Julie Appleby, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The 21 states fully running their own marketplaces generally have more robust fraud prevention programs and have reported few or none of the kinds of unauthorized sign-ups plaguing the federal marketplace.
    — Julie Appleby, NPR, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of plaguing
Verb
  • As investigators search for answers, a restaurant is stepping in to help grieving families and those with loved ones in the hospital.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Panicked, grieving parents were trying to help when crews arrived, Faizi said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of grieving
Adjective
  • However, perovskites are notoriously vulnerable to moisture and harsh chemical environments, posing a clear problem in seawater.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2026
  • With another harsh winter approaching, those still there face death from hunger or disease.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of harsh
Adjective
  • But genuinely funny moments are rare, badly outnumbered by done-to-death musings regarding the mysteries of being alive and torturous melodramatic moments in which Klara dully absorbs the severity of Josie’s illness and Chrissy’s sorrow.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The visits come as Republicans are gearing up for a potentially torturous election cycle amid broad voter dissatisfaction on a slew of issues, including the economy, war with Iran and Trump himself.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 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 25 Oct. 2026.

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