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

One sequence sees Saga attempting to breastfeed, only to pull the child away from her chest in a spasm of toe-curling agony. —Catherine Bray, Variety, 14 Feb. 2026

Steven McDonald, a fallen hero of the department who channeled the agony of three devastating gunshot wounds into an enduring message of peace and forgiveness. —Barry Williams, New York Daily News, 10 Feb. 2026

Hadi’s exceptional attention gives cinematic identity to collective artisanal energy, to the life force of care and devotion that stands outside the agonies of politics, to the spirit that endures a regime and outlives it. —Richard Brody, New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2026

When dinner was served, some of the highest flyers of Chicago were laid low, falling to the floor, groaning in agony and vomiting. —Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026