agonizing 1 of 3

adjective

ˈa-gə-ˌnī-ziŋ How to pronounce agonizing (audio)
Definition of agonizingnext
1
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally agonizing cries rose up from the dungeon

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2
as in wrenching
intensely or unbearably painful died an agonizing death

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agonizing

2 of 3

noun

1
as in suffering

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2
as in indecision

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agonizing

3 of 3

verb

present participle of agonize
1
as in plaguing
to cause persistent suffering to got into more trouble, further agonizing her poor mother

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2
as in grieving
to feel deep sadness or mental pain agonized for days over whether she'd done the right thing

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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 agonizing
Adjective
The tense and agonizing switch is a pure state of melodrama, a transcendent form of tragedy striking in the banal core of workaday society. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2026 Of course, Kiffin left, a bitter and acrimonious separation that played out over 14 agonizing days, just as the Rebels prepped for their first College Football Playoff game in history. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 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
To your point, agonizing about everything isn’t doing me any favors. — Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 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 See All Example Sentences for agonizing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agonizing
  1. painful
  2. wrenching
  3. suffering
  4. indecision
  5. plaguing
  6. grieving
  7. harsh
  8. torturous
Adjective
  • After the Great Depression, school districts revisited the idea during the energy crisis of the 1970s, following the 1973 Arab oil embargo and the painful years of stagflation that followed.
    — Muskaan Arshad, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Continue reading … -- IN OTHER NEWS HIDDEN ILLNESS — Country star reveals the painful symptom that led to cancer diagnosis.
    — , FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of painful
Adjective
  • After a quiet episode focused on Hal Jordan’s passing, Lanterns’s penultimate chapter deepens the mystery in surprising and wrenching ways.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The wrenching, heartbreaking testimony echoed through the Congressional hearing room, pulling listeners back to the raw moments of January when Good and Alex Pretti were killed.
    — WCCO Staff, CBS News, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of wrenching
Noun
  • The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages for Jacks to cover previous and future medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, permanent impairment and loss of enjoyment of life.
    — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Another independent doctor subsequently concluded that the child's suffering was clear and unbearable, and that the requirements for termination of life under the nation's rules had been met.
    — Inaya Folarin Iman, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of suffering
Noun
  • After days of indecision, NASCAR disciplined seven people who participated in the attack on young racing star Corey Heim in front of a concession stand at Martinsville Speedway shortly after the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 on Saturday.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Alex wants to hold on and let go at once, and her indecision spirals into a familiar yet attuned portrait of middle-age upheaval.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of indecision
Verb
  • That is the question plaguing university leaders across the country, and nowhere is the debate raging more fiercely these days than at the University of California.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Warren’s attempt to suppress the procession exemplifies the sort of religious prejudices plaguing Italian communities during that period.
    — Clare Whitton, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of plaguing
Verb
  • But while politicians trade barbs, residents in Rio de Janeiro have been designing their own responses, with ex-traffickers launching podcasts and grieving mothers stepping up to stop youth recruitment.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
  • The Justice Department unveiled a $25 million grant opportunity Thursday as Attorney General Todd Blanche hosted violent crime survivors and grieving families for a summit focused on public safety and support for victims.
    — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of grieving
Adjective
  • The European Commission has set an October deadline for progress in the negotiations, as France and Germany push for harsher measures.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Dehydrated skin is typically caused by dry air, harsh skin care, or the weather.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of harsh
Adjective
  • The forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy on Alberto Sierra’s estranged wife and her two young daughters detailed on Friday their torturous final moments, testifying during Sierra’s death penalty trial.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026
  • In a wartorn country where air travel is too perilous to even consider, the roads are the obvious option, but are jammed, precarious, and cursed with long, torturous border queues.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of torturous

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Agonizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agonizing. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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