AGONY Synonyms: 106 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'agony' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of agony are distress , misery , and suffering . While all these words mean "the state of being in great trouble," agony suggests pain too intense to be borne. // in agony over the death of their child

Q: Where would 'distress' be a reasonable alternative to 'agony'?

The words distress and agony are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, distress implies an external and usually temporary cause of great physical or mental strain and stress. // the hurricane put everyone in great distress

Q: When is it sensible to use 'misery' instead of 'agony'?

The meanings of misery and agony largely overlap; however, misery stresses the unhappiness attending especially sickness, poverty, or loss. // the homeless live with misery every day

Q: When is 'suffering' a more appropriate choice than 'agony'?

In some situations, the words suffering and agony are roughly equivalent. However, suffering implies conscious endurance of pain or distress. // the suffering of famine victims

agony

noun

ˈa-gə-nē

Definition of agony

as in nightmare

a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness waiting all those hours to hear if he'd survived the plane crash was pure agony

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in distress

a state of great suffering of body or mind the agony of never knowing what happened to her son

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in explosion

a sudden intense expression of strong feeling the announcement that the war was over unleashed a mass agony of joy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun agony differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of agony are distress, misery, and suffering. While all these words mean "the state of being in great trouble," agony suggests pain too intense to be borne.

in agony over the death of their child

Where would distress be a reasonable alternative to agony?

The words distress and agony are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, distress implies an external and usually temporary cause of great physical or mental strain and stress.

the hurricane put everyone in great distress

When is it sensible to use misery instead of agony?

The meanings of misery and agony largely overlap; however, misery stresses the unhappiness attending especially sickness, poverty, or loss.

the homeless live with misery every day

When is suffering a more appropriate choice than agony?

In some situations, the words suffering and agony are roughly equivalent. However, suffering implies conscious endurance of pain or distress.

the suffering of famine victims

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 agony Now, the defining image of the death penalty in 2026 is a woman strapped to a gurney, in unbearable agony, being tortured by prison officials tasked with killing her but unable to do so. — Maya Foa, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026 When John reveals the Halogram to Kerry (after fair warning), the look on her face is a mix of shock and agony. — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2026 Burns, 28, dropped to the ground in agony on his 25th snap of the Giants’ narrow 12-7 win over the Tennessee Titans. — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026 When self-sabotage could bring relief to their heightened agony, both models pressed that button. — New Atlas, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for agony

Recent Examples of Synonyms for agony

Noun

California dreams and nightmares The Cheesecake Factory is a punchline.

— Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2026
But Florida’s Halloween nightmare keeps coming back wearing a red visor, flashing that devilish smirk and getting the last laugh.

— Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 Oct. 2026

Definition of nightmare

Noun

The rise of self-harm influencers—people for whom demonstrating their distress online has become a source of income and validation—is a terrifying new development.

— Gavin Francis, The New York Review of Books, 24 Oct. 2026
CoreWeave, the leader of the pack, has seen spreads on its CDS widen past 11%, generally viewed as a distress level, as investors have to pay up for protection against default.

— Isabel O'Brien, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of distress

Noun

Using the Gemini North telescope, Caiazzo and colleagues zoomed in on Pa 30, discovering knots along the strands of gas radiating out from the site of the cosmic explosion, like pearls on a string.

— Robert Lea, Space.com, 27 Oct. 2026
The explosion was set off in front of the local branch of Colombia's tax collection agency near the Francisco de Paula de Santander International bridge.

— ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of explosion

Noun

While some issues are clearly partisan — including the country’s current economic misery, the long-running war in Iran and the attacks on the Affordable Care Act — others are grounded in basic decency.

— Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Nov. 2026
But the stand-alone fragment, in the seeming spirit of Franz Kafka’s surreal and unsettling fiction, links success to misery, and happiness to death.

— Robert S. Levine, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of misery

Noun

Better Over Time should give him an opportunity to expunge his anguish and, if not necessarily heal, then find clarity on why his preternatural talent has brought a mixture of blessings and frustration.

— Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2026
His role as a theater director in ‘The Debut,’ isn’t the showstopping kind, but it is made memorable for the actor’s moments of tenacity, anguish and vulnerability.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of anguish

Noun

This nebula, called the Red Spider Nebula, is scuttling around space while its central star, glowing bright red in the middle, ejects bursts of gas and dust.

— Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 31 Oct. 2026
At the same time, the city has been marked with a recent burst of violence as some criticize Quiroz for failing to carry on her partner’s fight against crime.

— Megan Janetsky, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of burst

Noun

The screwdrivers were recovered from his car’s trunk, and are purported to be torture utensils.

— Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
Sarah Kimani, Amnesty International’s media manager, told the AP in a January interview that the organization’s research documents summary executions, torture, abductions and rape by both government forces and the OLA.

— ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of torture

Noun

People with large or overactive chewing muscles, often from clenching or grinding, who want to soften a bulky lower-face look or ease jaw pain.

— Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 26 Oct. 2026
Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin, which may lower inflammation and pain.

— Carrie Madormo, Verywell Health, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of pain

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agonizingly

agony

agrarian

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“Agony.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agony. Accessed 3 Nov. 2026.

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