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 The holy day, one that commemorates Jesus Christ's agony on the cross, is one of five Christian celebrations that pay homage to the events leading up to the Crucifixion and Christ's miraculous resurrection on Easter Sunday. Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025 Kelly later composed a chronicle of his meandering space treks - highlighting the agonies and the ecstasies of life in orbit - in the sensational book Endurance. Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025 In the final episode of When Life Gives You Tangerines, the precious agony of being alive is borne out in the death of Gwan-sik (played predominantly by Park Hae-joon in these final episodes), Ae-sun’s beloved husband and Geum-myeong and Eun-myeong’s dad. Kayti Burt, Time, 28 Mar. 2025 In video of the attack released by police at the time, she can be heard screaming in agony. Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 9 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for agony
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agony
Noun
  • The reader is brought into the heart of Israel’s nightmare.
    Daniel Foster, National Review, 15 May 2025
  • This harrowing, 35mm-shot story of pubescent boys tormenting each other at a water polo summer camp doubles as a coming-of-age drama and an adolescent, acne-scarred body-horror nightmare.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 May 2025
Noun
  • Recorded woodpecker distress calls or raptor calls can also repel the birds.
    Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 16 May 2025
  • Settings of comfort—a bedroom, a flower garden, a backyard barbecue with friends—turn into sites of distress.
    The Atlantic, The Atlantic, 15 May 2025
Noun
  • An explosion of heated coverage followed the initial report, much of it seemingly reliant on police leaks or pure speculation for sourcing.
    Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2025
  • Fire investigators determined the fire and explosion were intentionally set.
    Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 21 May 2025
Noun
  • The Best Clothing Box Photograph: Stitch Fix Stitch Fix Kids Clothes Box $16 Stitch Fix As my kids have gotten older, shopping for their clothes has become a misery.
    Adrienne So, Wired News, 17 May 2025
  • The value of the Syrian currency plummeted during the civil war years, adding to the misery.
    Raja Abdulrahim, New York Times, 15 May 2025
Noun
  • The experiment of pairing Antetokounmpo with Damian Lillard ended in anguish when Lillard tore his Achilles during the first round of the playoffs.
    Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2025
  • Without that, the Sinaloa cartel are likely to remain a prominent, wealthy force — and more families will feel anguish like that of Vivian Aispuro’s family.
    Isobel Yeung, CNN Money, 2 May 2025
Noun
  • The 23-year-old has the raw materials to become a decent striker, including a decent burst of acceleration, but needs to play more to develop, which might not happen at Barca.
    Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 16 May 2025
  • The pair hoped to make progress against urea-cycle disorders – inherited metabolic problems, like KJ’s that leave young children vulnerable to bursts of damaging ammonia.
    Karen Weintraub, USA Today, 16 May 2025
Noun
  • Maduro, accusing them of participating in a coup, began a brutal crackdown, which has included the torture, secret detention, and killing of protesters, opposition-party members, and their relatives, according to Human Rights Watch.
    Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 10 May 2025
  • Victims were subjected to enslavement, forced disappearance, torture and murder, among other crimes, the investigators found.
    Renata Brito, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2025
Noun
  • Symptoms like inflammation, joint pain, and stiffness are an inevitable part of aging.
    Health, Health, 20 May 2025
  • Contributor Aging often comes with unwelcome changes, like joint stiffness, nerve pain, sleepless nights, and slowed recovery.
    Nia Bowers, USA Today, 20 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Agony.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agony. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

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