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
John Penner, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Watching this slow-motion tragedy unfold is agonizing.
—Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 6 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
The audience experiences the scene of agonizing beauty as the man does.
—John Penner, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Watching this slow-motion tragedy unfold is agonizing.
—Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 6 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
-
Proper skin preparation is key to making your wax sessions less painful.—
Tatayana Yomary,
Essence,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The high fevers, hospitalizations, and dehydration that these illnesses cause can be painful and disruptive—and, with vaccines, avoidable.—
Tom Bartlett,
The Atlantic,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
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
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One particularly wrenching moment in the film made an impression on her stepfather, Kurt Russell.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
21 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Other suffering fanbases might think their run of 14 consecutive seasons in the Premier League is nothing to gripe about, but Tim Crane, author of several West Ham books, explains today’s anxiety in historical context.—
Michael Walker,
New York Times,
15 Jan. 2026
-
While the governor’s benevolent instincts are laudable, leniency here would only invite more lawbreaking, and ultimately, more suffering — in Colorado and beyond.—
Max Potter,
Denver Post,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Food halls Food halls are our answer to group indecision.—
Eric Barton,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Jan. 2026
-
Her character, Zosia, may have had to honor Carol Sturka’s (Rhea Seehorn) request for an atom bomb, but based on their parting glance, Wydra still senses some indecision from Carol about this manner of escalation.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The scientists set out to investigate a debilitating and lethal parasite that’s been plaguing monarchs.—
Drew Kann,
AJC.com,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Johnson was staring down an urgent mission to address the virus plaguing her children.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Before the tournament, Damon's endurance coach, Patrick Peterson, was grieving the loss of his 14-year-old son, Armani Peterson, who was killed in the Stockton birthday party shooting that drew national attention.—
Nina Burns,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
On Netflix April 24, 2026 | Action Thriller A grieving woman testing her limits in the Australian wilderness is suddenly ensnared in a deadly game with a ruthless predator.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Cisco positions the same rugged networking technology used in Parkie for other harsh environments, including factories, logistics hubs, and outdoor industrial sites.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Fabrics that aren't made for harsh weather conditions, especially cotton and linen, are prone to absorbing moisture, causing mold, mildew, and water stains.—
Claire Hoppe Norgaard,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
September 22 Lucas Museum opens After a long, semi-torturous process, George Lucas’s grand vision for a public museum containing an impressive collection of paintings, drawings, and film memorabilia will finally come to fruition.—
Hillary Busis,
Vanity Fair,
22 Dec. 2025
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During this increasingly torturous adjustment period, Millie learns Nina spent some time in a psychiatric facility years earlier after allegedly leaving Cece to drown in a bathtub and taking enough pills to kill herself.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
19 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Agonizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agonizing. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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