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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of agonize
The Canadian musician had agonized over writing the song in the first place.
—
NPR, 6 Nov. 2025
That doesn’t mean the Giants’ new manager didn’t agonize over his decision to leave the University of Tennessee.
—Laurence Miedema, Mercury News, 24 Oct. 2025
This is nail-biting stuff, agonizing to sit through.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 6 Oct. 2025
The second is that the Big Tech platforms have, for years, begrudgingly agonized over content-moderation decisions.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for agonize
NPR, 6 Nov. 2025
That doesn’t mean the Giants’ new manager didn’t agonize over his decision to leave the University of Tennessee.
—Laurence Miedema, Mercury News, 24 Oct. 2025
This is nail-biting stuff, agonizing to sit through.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 6 Oct. 2025
The second is that the Big Tech platforms have, for years, begrudgingly agonized over content-moderation decisions.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for agonize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agonize
Verb
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The Secret Agent’s primary setting is a house full of misfits and refugees in the northeastern city of Recife, a safe harbor from those persecuted by the country’s military regime, ruled over by the inimitable Dona Sebastiana (Tânia Maria, whose role was written specifically for her).—
Nate Jones,
Vulture,
6 Feb. 2026
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His previously peaceful world had been shattered when Vilna was occupied by the German army three months before and soon the Germans began to persecute and arrest Jews.—
Dr. Michael Good,
Hartford Courant,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As the shellshocked families of six children and two women grieve their loss in one of the worst mass shootings in Canada's history, details are emerging about the shooter's mental health struggles and history with police.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
12 Feb. 2026
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For Le, the coffee shop serves as a community space where customers feel free to grieve and share their experiences with loss.—
Maddie Connors,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The coach said the team took into account the possibility that Canada was also plagued by the same issue.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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The grocery industry is a notoriously difficult business plagued by razor-thin margins and a highly perishable inventory.—
Talia Soglin,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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His death was also mourned on Instagram by artists including Creed, Godsmack, Daughtry and Sevendust.—
Brian Niemietz,
Mercury News,
8 Feb. 2026
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The Factbook's demise drew immediate concern from people who frequently rely on it for their work, as Reddit groups for teachers, librarians and travel agents mourned its passing.—
Bill Chappell,
NPR,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Loan defaults, foreclosures, and hotel property auctions due to distressed financing show that an array of ailments afflict the region’s lodging market.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
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Last year the Make-A-Wish Foundation flew Luke, who was afflicted with a rare life-threatening blood disorder in high school, to Denver to meet his hero.—
Taylor Antrim,
Vogue,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That hand must have ached profoundly by the time the group departed.—
Harold Holzer,
New York Daily News,
8 Feb. 2026
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As his wrist and back still ached from the treehouse fall, Smith’s heart broke next.—
Andrew Callahan,
Twin Cities,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For years he was tortured, and finally released in 1973.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Feb. 2026
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He’s not tortured in any way — the only person that’s holding him back is himself.—
Leigh Nordstrom,
Footwear News,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Dejan Furtula sighed with despair while looking at construction machines working around the clock to remove tons of trash clogging the Drina River near his hometown of Visegrad, in eastern Bosnia.—
Eldar Emric,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
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Twice thwarted, Beth sighs, says yes, and gets on with the business of living.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Agonize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agonize. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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