1
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
agonizing cries rose up from the dungeon
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wrenching
intensely or unbearably painful
died an agonizing death
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in suffering
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Dissimilar Words
2
as in indecision
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of agonizing
Michael Hales, The Conversation, 9 Sep. 2025
The crux of this tale is now an agonizing decision that Joan has to make, egged on by her rather flighty coordinator Ryan (John Early), who is competing against Anna to make this all work.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025
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
Verb
For athletes across all sports, few experiences are as agonizing as being forced to leave competition with a sudden muscle cramp.
—Michael Hales, The Conversation, 9 Sep. 2025
The crux of this tale is now an agonizing decision that Joan has to make, egged on by her rather flighty coordinator Ryan (John Early), who is competing against Anna to make this all work.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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
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Mario Vuskovic’s suspension in 2022 was part of that struggle, another painful situation to overcome.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
In place of pesky underwire — which is uncomfortable at best, and downright painful at its worst — the bra uses a sturdy elastic band and adjustable straps to provide comfortable support.—
Clara McMahon,
PEOPLE,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Bersten, 31, reveals he’s been pleased with the Dynasty actress’s work ethic in rehearsal despite the injuries plaguing her.—
Latoya Gayle,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
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Pearsall appeared to have reaggravated his knee injury that was plaguing him all week, and he was pulled from the game.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
While Tommy grapples with his complicated family life and a still-grieving Cami settles into her new position at the company, the undercurrent of just how dangerous the oil business is can't be ignored.—
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
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An emotional speech from a grieving father led LIV Golf star Phil Mickelson to call out the justice system.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Haaretz, Israel’s longest running newspaper, is one of the few news websites that has covered Palestinian suffering in Gaza extensively since the beginning of the war.—
Zeena Saifi,
CNN Money,
5 Oct. 2025
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Others state the demonstrations are supporting a ceasefire to end to the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and release the hostages on both sides.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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That split second of indecision allowed Haaland to barge him, force his body in front and roll the Dutch defender.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
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Throughout her many times as a political candidate and office holder, Harris has been dogged by allegations of incompetence and indecision, fueled by anonymous quotes and unbelievably bad public appearances.—
Matt Fleming,
Oc Register,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The triumphant narrative began to fray when exceedingly harsh lockdown measures could no longer contain the spread of the virus, and the staggering human cost in the name of protecting lives defied all logic.—
Yangyang Cheng,
NPR,
4 Oct. 2025
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There are no easy fixes, so figuring out how to cushion the harsh impact will be the basis of negotiations with other parties in the Japanese legislature, the Diet.—
Jeff Kingston,
Time,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Bertino’s chamber piece unfolds over one torturous night and will be exclusive to Paramount’s streaming platform following its world premiere at Fantastic Fest in September.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
1 Oct. 2025
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The longtime actor and multi-faceted filmmaker crafts an unhinged, go-for-broke performance as a legendary quarterback putting his potential heir apparent (Tyriq Withers) through a psychologically torturous training camp.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The former human-rights lawyer entered on a tourist visa and filed for political asylum in October of that year, claiming the governments that succeeded Correa were persecuting him.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
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For 25 years, Chavism has co-opted Venezuela's infrastructure for its own enrichment, persecuting journalists and opposition, wrecking the economy, and leaving its citizens in poverty.—
Kristina Foltz,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Agonizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agonizing. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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