agonize

verb

ag·​o·​nize ˈa-gə-ˌnīz 

agonized; agonizing

transitive verb

: to cause to suffer agony : torture

intransitive verb

1

: to suffer agony, torture, or anguish

agonizes over every decision

2

: struggle

Synonyms

• afflict
• anguish
• bedevil
• beset
• besiege
• curse
• excruciate
• harrow
• persecute
• plague
• rack
• torment
• torture

Examples of agonize in a Sentence

got into more trouble, further agonizing her poor mother

agonized for days over whether she'd done the right thing

Recent Examples on the Web

Investors agonize over the coming presidential election and worry about its impact on the markets and their portfolios. —Jonathan Dash, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024

Mendelsohn plays the designer — in his 40s during the German occupation and still working for Lucien Lelong (John Malkovich) — as fundamentally decent, a man of conscience who at least agonizes before going against his ethics. —Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 14 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French agoniser "to exercise, struggle, suffer, (in past participle agonisé) torment," borrowed from Medieval Latin agōnizāre "to struggle, suffer death pangs," going back to Late Latin, "to fight, wrestle," borrowed from Greek agōnízesthai "to contest, fight," verbal derivative of agṓn "assembly, contest" — more at agony

First Known Use

1570, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2

Kids Definition

agonize

verb

ag·​o·​nize ˈag-ə-ˌnīz 

agonized; agonizing

: to suffer or cause to suffer extreme pain or anguish of body or mind

agonizingly

-ˌnī-ziŋ-lē

adverb