1
as in to persecute
to cause persistent suffering to
got into more trouble, further agonizing her poor mother
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to grieve
to feel deep sadness or mental pain
agonized for days over whether she'd done the right thing
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 agonize
Her ex-husband, a good father, refuses to move the boy to the town and Eden agonizes about taking the boy from his friends and school in the Twin Cities.
—
Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2026
Tyran Stokes, hailed as the top prospect in the high school class of 2026, has bounced up and down the West Coast, attending three different high schools in four years, while fans on Reddit scrutinize his performance and national media agonize over his oscillating college decision.
—Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 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
To accept that there will always be creatures teeming nearby, some of them agonizing, expelled from their days.
—María Ospina, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for agonize
Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 12 Apr. 2026
Tyran Stokes, hailed as the top prospect in the high school class of 2026, has bounced up and down the West Coast, attending three different high schools in four years, while fans on Reddit scrutinize his performance and national media agonize over his oscillating college decision.
—Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 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
To accept that there will always be creatures teeming nearby, some of them agonizing, expelled from their days.
—María Ospina, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for agonize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agonize
Verb
-
Jack Hayford, the founder of the King’s University, in Texas, claimed that the film was persecuting Christians, who only wanted to be treated equally.—
Isaac Butler,
New Yorker,
30 May 2026
-
During and shortly after the Spanish Civil War, Franco’s regime, too, persecuted Esperantists for the language’s association with anti–nationalism and anarchism.—
Katie Thornton,
Harpers Magazine,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
Poindexter said the team wants to respect Martin’s memory, provide a little positivity for a community that’s grieving and show that the Aledo community is in the fight together.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 June 2026
-
Or what is an appropriate amount of time to allow someone to grieve before raising the subject again?—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
But a season plagued by poor form and injuries to key players saw soccer giants finishing fifth in the league, 25 points behind leaders Arsenal.—
Mark Hodge,
NBC news,
30 May 2026
-
But Frontier is still vulnerable to the many problems plaguing the overall US airline industry, and especially the low-fare segment of the market.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
Amid playoff cheering hockey mourns the suicide of Claude Lemieux at 60.—
Greg Cote
May 31,
Miami Herald,
31 May 2026
-
The wronged wife can acknowledge or ignore the presence of the other woman, who may be mourning the death of the man as much or more than his wife is.—
Abigail Van Buren,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
Losses from cattle afflicted by the parasite could run into the billions of dollars, with larger effects across the American economy, according to USDA estimates.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
-
The incursion was the latest in a litany of drone incidents — from both Russia and Ukraine — to afflict NATO member states and leave the 32-member trans-Atlantic organization on edge, drawing strong condemnation from Romania’s allies.—
Stephen McGrath,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
First symptoms often include extreme tiredness, headaches, swollen lymph nodes and muscle aches.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
30 May 2026
-
Your 2nd House of Resources faces a tug as temperamental Moon opposes aching Chiron in your 8th House of Intimacy and Resources, asking for careful boundaries.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
She was arrested at a hotel near the barn and booked at the Clark County Juvenile Hall on 12 counts of animal cruelty, including intentionally aiming or torturing a horse, as well as three counts of malicious destruction of property.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
-
She was later transported to the Clark County Juvenile Hall and charged with 12 counts of willful or malicious killing, maiming or torturing an animal and three counts of felony malicious destruction of private property valued at more than $5,000, police said.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
There are nearly two hundred people standing there, looking around and sighing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 May 2026
-
Everything at this Elmhurst flamepot is punched up, texture and flavor alike, from sighing-soft to tensile to snappy, and always hot-hot-hot.—
Ligaya Mishan,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Agonize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agonize. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
