1
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
agonizing cries rose up from the dungeon
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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
Gawon Bae, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2025
Victim Diego Rodrigo Sandoval Nava, 33, made the agonizing decision to leave his daughter and son behind in Mexico six years ago and come to New York City to make money to send home.
—Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2025
Katie Walsh, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2025
The pair joined a group of brilliant theoretical physicists who were agonizing over a particular problem in quantum theory.
—Lyndie Chiou, Quanta Magazine, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for agonizing
Verb
Ahn was offered the chance to cross the border but made the agonizing decision to stay.
—Gawon Bae, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2025
Victim Diego Rodrigo Sandoval Nava, 33, made the agonizing decision to leave his daughter and son behind in Mexico six years ago and come to New York City to make money to send home.
—Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
Even those plot points feel a bit dated, with Ivy’s ascent as a food star marked by hobnobbing with David Chang, and Theo agonizing over remixes and GIFs of his anguish.
—Katie Walsh, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2025
The pair joined a group of brilliant theoretical physicists who were agonizing over a particular problem in quantum theory.
—Lyndie Chiou, Quanta Magazine, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for agonizing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agonizing
Adjective
-
The shoes have a wide toe box with plenty of room for feet to spread out, which helps prevent painful pinching and accommodates foot issues.—
Isabel Garcia,
People.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Downplaying the obvious and searingly painful crime plaguing Chicago neighborhoods is unacceptable and dangerous.—
Laura Washington,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Or why this situation remains indicative of bigger issues plaguing our country, then and now?—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
6 Sep. 2025
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While the problems plaguing humanity — from political strife to poverty to natural disasters — might seem overwhelming, Dorantes said the property’s history illustrates how much the world can actually change.—
Angie Leventis Lourgos,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Scientists grieving loss, or people living with chronic disease.—
Maria Reva
September 3,
Literary Hub,
3 Sep. 2025
-
More than just a portrait of Kikhia’s fascinating life, his daughter’s film offers an exquisite depiction of both yearning and the complexity of the grieving process.—
Leila Latif,
IndieWire,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Rodrigues entered foster care after witnessing her biological mother battle addiction and suffering neglect.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
6 Sep. 2025
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In the same scroll, you can be confronted by images of life’s mundane ephemera and others of war and suffering.—
Kristen Tauer,
Footwear News,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The prior three weeks to this week were candles of indecision that saw the open and close at basically the same level.—
Todd Gordon,
CNBC,
26 Aug. 2025
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Communication issues, indecision and dysfunctions can't be fixed by frameworks or plug-ins.—
Meeky Hwang,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The once-beloved pastels will become harsh.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
6 Sep. 2025
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The pilgrimage, listed on the official calendar of jubilee events, comes as gay Catholics look to Pope Leo XIV to continue down the bold path of his predecessor to welcome into the church a group that has in the past faced alienation and sometimes harsh treatment.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Within the film’s compact running time, writer-director Ben Hania traces the fraught and torturous hours of January 29, 2024, when Palestine Red Crescent volunteers in the West Bank tried to calm a terrified 6-year-old girl and get an ambulance to her in Gaza.—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2025
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From the almost humorous to the truly torturous, being plunked into unknown wilderness in total isolation—which is what happens on Alone—results in all manner of strange mental phenomenon.—
Woniya Thibeault,
Outside,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
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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
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In July, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for two of the Taliban’s top leaders, accusing them of persecuting women and girls in Afghanistan, which the group dismissed.—
Astha Rajvanshi,
NBC news,
5 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Agonizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agonizing. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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