1
as in to persecute
to cause persistent suffering to
got into more trouble, further agonizing her poor mother
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to grieve
to feel deep sadness or mental pain
agonized for days over whether she'd done the right thing
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of agonize
Some 36,000 fans at Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field, and many more tuning in on radio and television, agonized through one of the fall classic’s wildest and most emotional conclusions.
—
ABC News, 21 Feb. 2026
Some 36,000 fans at Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field, and many more tuning in on radio and television, agonized through one of the Fall Classic’s wildest and most emotional conclusions.
—Hillel Italie, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2026
McClarnon, 59, not only stars but produces, directs and agonizes about getting it right.
—Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 15 Feb. 2026
This wasn’t a decision that NBC Sports president Rick Cordella had to agonize over, as Snoop’s performance as the Olympics’ Ambassador of Good Vibes essentially functioned as a masterclass in what makes for good TV.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for agonize
ABC News, 21 Feb. 2026
Some 36,000 fans at Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field, and many more tuning in on radio and television, agonized through one of the Fall Classic’s wildest and most emotional conclusions.
—Hillel Italie, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2026
McClarnon, 59, not only stars but produces, directs and agonizes about getting it right.
—Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 15 Feb. 2026
This wasn’t a decision that NBC Sports president Rick Cordella had to agonize over, as Snoop’s performance as the Olympics’ Ambassador of Good Vibes essentially functioned as a masterclass in what makes for good TV.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for agonize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agonize
Verb
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The helpless and much persecuted turtles were cooked in a rich, creamy soup with chunks of meat.—
James Stout,
Outside,
29 Mar. 2026
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The Iranian regime has persecuted members of her own family.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Starring Charlize Theron, Taron Egerton, and Eric Bana, the film was shot on location in the Australian wilderness and features Theron as a grieving woman on a solo adventure who becomes the target of a cunning killer (Egerton) in a twisted game of cat-and-mouse.—
Abid Rahman,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Apr. 2026
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In the lavish memorial erected by his grieving widow, Queen Victoria, Prince Albert is golden, but few world leaders are permanently gilded, and certainly not before their deaths.—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Giveaways plagued Denver to start the period and gave Seattle momentum, but Summit responded encouragingly, particularly after right back Ayo Oke subbed on in the 60th minute.—
Braidon Nourse,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
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Orion’s legacy The Apollo 10 capsule wasn’t the only one plagued with toilet issues.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Sanders was still mourning the loss of his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers, who’d fled west, to Los Angeles, nearly seventy years ago.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
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The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department mourns the loss of Deputy Levi Vargas, who passed away on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at the age of 30.—
Austin Turner,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And Chee seems to have finally turned a corner regarding the ghost sickness afflicting him both physically and emotionally.—
Lisa de los Reyes,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Mar. 2026
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Moody’s injury is one of the most severe of a series that has afflicted the Warriors this season, who also saw Jimmy Butler go down with a season-ending ACL tear in January.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Money-minded Venus conjoins aching Chiron in your 4th House of Domesticity, feathering their nests as an example to you.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
26 Mar. 2026
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Krauss joins Combs on the chorus, her airy vocal serving as a soothing balm over his gritty, aching voice.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Court records show that Gabriel was tortured by starvation, shot by BB guns, and forced to eat cat litter, cat feces and his own vomit.—
Rick Montanez,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
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His Venice entry triggered multiple walkouts in Sonoma, though, especially during a scene featuring the always solid Oscar Isaac getting tortured.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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From that day forward, everyone sighed and said what a year.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Apr. 2026
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But the people in these plays aren’t sighing and slumping.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Agonize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agonize. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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