as in bitterly
with feelings of bitterness or grief
agonizingly made the decision to have her beloved cat put to sleep
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 agonizingly
At long last, with his skinned companions still agonizingly clinging to life beside him, the Jimmies' final victim, Tom (Louis Ashbourne Serkis), is offered an out.
—
Megan McCluskey, Time, 16 Jan. 2026
Ole Miss comes up agonizingly short in what may be the strangest season of the modern era.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
As with any mission that ventures beyond near-Earth orbit, portions of the journey will be agonizingly isolating.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 31 Dec. 2025
At first, these were agonizingly slow and laborious series of movements designed to mortify the flesh – to help the spiritual overcome the physical – and instill discipline and union among the members.
—Christian Goodwillie, The Conversation, 22 Dec. 2025
There is a lot of agonizingly unsubtle product placement — for AMC theaters, Starry soda, even Paramount itself.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2025
The pirates forced the survivors to help load the ship with as many ore containers as the ship could carry before sending them back to the ice moon to agonizingly await whatever would be their fate.
—Manuel Muñoz, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
The Democratic Party has held the governor’s mansion since 1985, including one agonizingly close election that is widely regarded by local Republicans to have been stolen.
—Jeremy Lott, The Washington Examiner, 8 Aug. 2025
Many of them leaned into generative AI and LLMs during their schooling, often doing so on their own since the university was either silent on the matter or was agonizingly trying to figure out what role AI should have in the medical education arena.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Megan McCluskey, Time, 16 Jan. 2026
Ole Miss comes up agonizingly short in what may be the strangest season of the modern era.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
As with any mission that ventures beyond near-Earth orbit, portions of the journey will be agonizingly isolating.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 31 Dec. 2025
At first, these were agonizingly slow and laborious series of movements designed to mortify the flesh – to help the spiritual overcome the physical – and instill discipline and union among the members.
—Christian Goodwillie, The Conversation, 22 Dec. 2025
There is a lot of agonizingly unsubtle product placement — for AMC theaters, Starry soda, even Paramount itself.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2025
The pirates forced the survivors to help load the ship with as many ore containers as the ship could carry before sending them back to the ice moon to agonizingly await whatever would be their fate.
—Manuel Muñoz, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
The Democratic Party has held the governor’s mansion since 1985, including one agonizingly close election that is widely regarded by local Republicans to have been stolen.
—Jeremy Lott, The Washington Examiner, 8 Aug. 2025
Many of them leaned into generative AI and LLMs during their schooling, often doing so on their own since the university was either silent on the matter or was agonizingly trying to figure out what role AI should have in the medical education arena.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agonizingly
Adverb
-
Another cold front bringing bitterly cold temperatures is expected to hit the Dallas-Fort Worth area this weekend, and temperatures could plunge into the teens Saturday morning with a potential for wind chill in the single-digits, according to Prater.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Jan. 2026
-
After a winter storm covered the commonwealth in snow and ice, much of Kentucky will face bitterly cold temperatures throughout the week, according to the latest forecast from the National Weather Service in Louisville.—
Caroline Neal,
Louisville Courier Journal,
27 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
This should be, but sadly will probably not be, the line that shouldn’t have been crossed.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Discovering the chemicals responsible for smoke taint is, sadly, only half the battle.—
Nicola Twilley,
New Yorker,
5 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Ludo Lefebvre echoed the urgency, pointing to the painfully deliberate pace of the recovery.—
Michelle Edgar,
Daily News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
One of those situations was painfully basic.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
25 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Tarun would tease her, and my mother would look sorrowfully toward Kavitha, as if the two of them now shared some womanly burden.—
Madhuri Vijay,
New Yorker,
16 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
The previously slumping Geekie scored two goals, including the game-winner late in the third period, a shot that was hammered so hard that no one saw the puck go in the net, until Geekie raced down and pointed to where the puck was lodged.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
-
That history is why Van's post-UFC 324 trolling hits so hard.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
For their part, Democratic leaders spoke mournfully of limits, of energy shortages, of national decline, of a crisis of confidence itself.—
Rosa Lyster,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
-
Based on the Dylan Thomas prose poem of the same name, published in 1952, the film lovingly and mournfully depicts the boyhood Christmastime of an old Welshman, tenderly and a tad mischievously embodied by Elliott.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
21 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Agonizingly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agonizingly. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
