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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of agony
Thank God that my family members could get vaccinated and have been free of the pain and agony of these illnesses.
—
Chicago Tribune, 7 July 2025
The point isn’t just to resolve in-the-moment agony.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 16 July 2025
Shortly before halftime, Musiala collided with Gianluigi Donnarumma in the PSG penalty area and went down in agony clutching his left ankle, which appeared to be twisted at an unnatural angle.
—Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 6 July 2025
Jamal Musiala was writhing in agony, but what really hit hard was the way players on both teams were reacting to the Bayern Munich forward’s injury.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 6 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for agony
Chicago Tribune, 7 July 2025
The point isn’t just to resolve in-the-moment agony.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 16 July 2025
Shortly before halftime, Musiala collided with Gianluigi Donnarumma in the PSG penalty area and went down in agony clutching his left ankle, which appeared to be twisted at an unnatural angle.
—Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 6 July 2025
Jamal Musiala was writhing in agony, but what really hit hard was the way players on both teams were reacting to the Bayern Munich forward’s injury.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 6 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for agony
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agony
Noun
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Relocated to a coastal town under the care of her brother’s best friend, Axel Nguyen, Leah grapples with grief, haunting nightmares and a fractured sense of self.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
7 Aug. 2025
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However, for those with a decade or more left in the workforce, understanding the challenges faced by today’s retirees and how to best prepare for them can mean the difference between living the dream and living the nightmare.—
Deb Boyden,
Fortune,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Notably, unemployment among Black men spiked significantly from 5.2% in May to 6.9% in July, illustrating a spreading distress that often starts with the most vulnerable groups and then extends wider in the labor market.—
Aisha Nyandoro,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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The legislation also follows several studies that highlighted concerning examples of AI therapy tools overlooking, or even encouraging, signs of mental distress.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
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There's also been an explosion of machine identities, known as non-human identities (NHIs), that enterprises have to contend with.—
TK Keanini,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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The rapper and actor, whose real name is Scott Mescudi, was subpoenaed by federal prosecutors and was required to testify against the Bad Boy Records founder in regards to a home invasion and car explosion allegedly linked to Combs.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Nothing was achieved except more misery for the region at the hands of Hamas and its allies.—
Jennifer Zhan,
Vulture,
11 Aug. 2025
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The question of whether there is hunger is different from the question of who is responsible for the misery.—
Seth Mandel,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Aug. 2025
Noun
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As the hours pass, the anguish of the families and their fellow miners has increased.—
Cristopher Ulloa,
CNN Money,
2 Aug. 2025
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The passage of time may increase the anguish of self-examination, but the search for truth is always worth the cost.—
Gary Knight,
Rolling Stone,
1 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Love planet Venus will enter Leo on Aug. 25, adding a dazzling burst of glamour and passion, followed by harmonious aspects to Saturn, Uranus and Neptune on Aug. 25 and 26, making romantic themes equally grounding and liberating.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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And all of this came during a sustained burst of fiction writing that Woolf—whose work had been derailed by mental breakdowns and spells of illness—relished.—
Hillary Kelly,
The Atlantic,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Those children endured years of torture, starvation, and imprisonment while the system looked the other way.—
Howard Talenfeld,
Forbes.com,
12 Aug. 2025
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Holocaust survivors say the hostage videos published in recent days recall for them their own torture and deprivation under the Nazis eight decades ago.—
Philissa Cramer,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Recognizing the distinction between mechanical tightness and protective tension is crucial for anyone experiencing chronic stiffness, recurring pain or short-term mobility gains that just won’t stick.—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
12 Aug. 2025
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Create an escalation path and stick to it: PCP first for routine or chronic issues; urgent care for same-day but moderate problems; telehealth for quick guidance on straightforward stuff (rashes, mild colds); ER only for the big, scary, time-sensitive events like chest pain or stroke symptoms.—
John Samuels,
Forbes.com,
12 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Agony.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agony. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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