Synonyms of agony

agony

noun

ˈa-gə-nē 

1

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

• nightmare
• misery
• torture
• horror
• torment
• murder
• hell
• curse
• ordeal
• tragedy
• misfortune
• calamity
• tribulation
• Gehenna
• cross
• trial
• affliction
• thorn
• calvary
• drag
• gall
• downer
• bummer

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• heaven
• joy
• pleasure
• delight
• recreation
• entertainment
• fun
• paradise
• diversion
• riot
• picnic
• lark

2

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

• distress
• misery
• anguish
• pain
• discomfort
• torment
• torture
• tribulation
• woe
• excruciation
• sorrow
• hurt
• pang
• sadness
• travail
• heartbreak
• hardship
• rack
• strait(s)
• difficulty
• affliction
• trouble
• danger
• heartache
• ache
• unhappiness
• emergency
• crucible
• cross
• joylessness
• soreness
• trial
• jeopardy
• twinge
• stitch
• throe
• pinch
• rigor
• smarting
• asperity

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• relief
• comfort
• consolation
• solace
• ease
• alleviation
• peace
• security
• assuagement
• well-being

3

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

• explosion
• burst
• outburst
• eruption
• blaze
• spasm
• flash
• gust
• paroxysm
• gale
• flare
• flush
• frenzy
• storm
• gush
• ebullition
• fit
• ecstasy
• rage
• flare-up
• rapture
• tantrum
• delirium
• transport
• blowup
• firestorm
• furor
• grouch

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

Recent Examples of agony

Does the 88-year-old Holocaust survivor lying in agony in a hospital bed deserve it? —Hen Mazzig, USA Today, 5 June 2025

But what might be considered 1-A epitomized so much about the team and the first draft pick of the Dayton Moore era — a player who led with his heart through all the ecstasies and agonies of his career. —Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 31 May 2025

The first consequence is Dina’s (Isabela Merced) agony when Jesse (Young Mazino) pushes the (massive! —Sara Netzley, EW.com, 26 May 2025

Only President Trump and Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy can stop this runaway train of the federal railway monopoly and spare years of agony for passengers using Penn Station, which also includes ten of thousands on NJTransit. —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 5 May 2025