1
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
agonizing cries rose up from the dungeon
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wrenching
intensely or unbearably painful
died an agonizing death
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in suffering
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
2
as in indecision
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in plaguing
to cause persistent suffering to
got into more trouble, further agonizing her poor mother
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of agonizing
Sergio Candido, CBS News, 12 Jan. 2026
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
Rand Richards Cooper, Hartford Courant, 8 Jan. 2026
Thomas Drance, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Playoff roster decisions are agonizing for every Major League Baseball front office, but the Toronto Blue Jays are dealing with some particularly tough calls this year.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for agonizing
Adjective
Ferguson's father spoke of the agonizing days spent at his son's hospital bedside after he was declared brain dead.
—Sergio Candido, CBS News, 12 Jan. 2026
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
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
As a result, the sort of trade talks and deals that Vancouver is currently exploring, weighing and even agonizing about in advance of the season are of a different variety entirely.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Playoff roster decisions are agonizing for every Major League Baseball front office, but the Toronto Blue Jays are dealing with some particularly tough calls this year.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for agonizing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agonizing
Adjective
-
This winter’s procedure, Edman said, included a ligament repair and the removal of some painful bone spurs in the ankle, which had limited not just his baserunning but his ability to bounce back and forth between the infield and the outfield.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
-
With Rock’s unmistakable voice narrating every awkward win and painful loss, the series balanced humor with real-life lessons.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The sentencing hearing included emotional and wrenching statements from Ferguson's family, who described a life permanently altered by the loss of their son and relative.—
Sergio Candido,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Warfare Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza’s Warfare is an admirable attempt to counter the truism that there’s no such thing as an anti-war movie — that all war movies, however gruesome or wrenching, effectively (and often unwittingly) wind up glamorizing combat to some degree.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
1 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Edna Sims Call for justice As the investigation into Johnson's death continues, his son is hopeful that local law enforcement will be able to quickly find the suspect and limit the suffering.—
Rachel Kim,
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The plaintiff is seeking payment including compensation for medical costs, lost wages and suffering.—
Bay Area News Group,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Every meeting that ends with indecision and another meeting?—
Shani Harmon,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
-
When a child or young adult shows signs of anxiety, depression, trauma, self-harm or suicidal ideation, indecision and adult conflict can deepen the harm.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Restaurants expanding reach Marcos Carbajal, owner of Carnitas Uruapan in the Little Village, Pilsen and Gage Park neighborhoods, has been vocal about the financial struggles plaguing his restaurant since federal immigration enforcement rippled through the city starting in September.—
Zareen Syed,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Feb. 2026
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Mayor Hogsett avoids police chief drama plaguing other cities, James Briggs argues.—
Joe Mutascio,
IndyStar,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The grieving parents of a Texas girl who drowned during a scuba certification class have filed a lawsuit against two agencies alleging the child’s death was preventable.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Vito Giacalone, head of the Gloucester Fishing Community Preservation Fund, described the fishing community as a brotherhood that was grieving and in shock.—
Matt Schooley,
CBS News,
2 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The energy output is designed to remain stable down to –50 degrees Celsius, supporting reliable operation in some of the harshest climates on Earth, reports InsideEVs.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Rapinchuk recommends only using non-toxic products when cleaning your refrigerator and avoiding anything with harsh chemicals, such as bleach and ammonia.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The ensuing months were torturous.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Texas State pitcher Madison Azua simultaneously groaned and laughed while recounting the near-torturous exercises the program put her and teammates through.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Agonizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agonizing. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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