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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in explosion
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling
the announcement that the war was over unleashed a mass agony of joy
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of agony
Neither Kleckner, nor her artmaking, was all agony and activism, however.
—
Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
The name refers to the agony the local fishermen’s wives endured while their husbands spent long, dangerous days at sea.
—Ryan McCarthy, Saveur, 21 Jan. 2026
Her film is an honorable attempt to dramatize the everyday agonies and frustrations of Red Crescent workers, to honor their quick thinking and astonishing courage under duress.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 14 Jan. 2026
The shoot was agony, largely because everyone knew where the story was going.
—Lili Anolik, Vanity Fair, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for agony
Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
The name refers to the agony the local fishermen’s wives endured while their husbands spent long, dangerous days at sea.
—Ryan McCarthy, Saveur, 21 Jan. 2026
Her film is an honorable attempt to dramatize the everyday agonies and frustrations of Red Crescent workers, to honor their quick thinking and astonishing courage under duress.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 14 Jan. 2026
The shoot was agony, largely because everyone knew where the story was going.
—Lili Anolik, Vanity Fair, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for agony
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agony
Noun
-
Not to be overly dramatic, but dressing up for the office is basically my nightmare.—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
-
That perfect life becomes a nightmare, or is revealed to have been one all along.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The visits focus on loneliness and emotional distress, issues that many survivors say have intensified amid the war in Ukraine and rising antisemitism in the United States.—
Hannah Kliger,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
-
The demonstrations, sparked by economic distress and anger at Iran’s clerical rulers, were met with a sweeping crackdown that activists say has killed thousands.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Video footage that appeared to be taken at the scene captured loud blasts and the sky glowing following explosions that began around midnight and lasted about two hours in the area of Diori Hamani International Airport.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
-
An explosion was reported at a metal fabricating plant on Thursday night in Pennsylvania, according to officials.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This week’s massive winter storm dumped more than a foot of snow on at least 19 states, including those like Texas and Tennessee that are less prepared to deal with the miseries of winter weather.—
Amy Feldman,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
-
But apartheid brought immense unhappiness and misery to white South Africans, too.—
Eve Fairbanks,
The Dial,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
However, the announcement has not dispelled the uncertainty or anguish among detainees’ families.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Nacua lay on the turf at Bank of America Stadium, not in physical pain but instead in mental anguish.—
Adam Grosbard,
Oc Register,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The only constant is Mount Etna, looming off to one side, at times sputtering out smoke, ash, and short bursts of lava.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Jan. 2026
-
And yet, two-thirds into the song’s six-minute lurch, a beaming synth line appears like a biblical burst of light, a plea for sanctuary from perpetual chaos.—
Stuart Berman,
Pitchfork,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Advertisement The atrocities and methods of torture were almost too much to absorb.—
Sally Susman,
Time,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Kristi Noem, the head of the Department of Homeland Security, posed in front of a group of immigrants sent to a torture site in El Salvador, in a show of sadistic titillation.—
Ta-Nehisi Coates,
Vanity Fair,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The executive order cited a 2023 FDA review that found scientific support for the use of medical marijuana to treat pain, anorexia and nausea/vomiting.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
This is the latest step forward for Jackson’s Shoe Gummi business, which began as an answer to the pain people experience while wearing high heels.—
Jaden Thompson,
Footwear News,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Agony.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agony. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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