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
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Recent Examples of agonize
Even a lot of contemporary fiction, where the scenario of characters agonizing over whether to have children has become quite common, defaults to a laconic style (very short paragraphs separated by empty space, for example) that channels the familiar wariness about lushness.
—
Aaron Matz, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
To accept that there will always be creatures teeming nearby, some of them agonizing, expelled from their days.
—María Ospina, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
Because coverage is guaranteed, people do not have to agonize every year over choosing a health plan based on countless variables.
—Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2026
The parents who keep looking for him, agonizing over his health.
—Connor Letourneau, San Francisco Chronicle, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for agonize
Aaron Matz, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
To accept that there will always be creatures teeming nearby, some of them agonizing, expelled from their days.
—María Ospina, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
Because coverage is guaranteed, people do not have to agonize every year over choosing a health plan based on countless variables.
—Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2026
The parents who keep looking for him, agonizing over his health.
—Connor Letourneau, San Francisco Chronicle, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for agonize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agonize
Verb
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My parents were supporters of the anti-apartheid movement and various family members were persecuted for being so also.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
14 May 2026
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When hunted, poisoned, and persecuted, the coyotes scattered and regrouped, their numbers surging a hundred-fold.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
Verb
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Researchers and healthcare providers say those who witnessed the shooting — children and adults — and those grieving the deaths of the three men are most at risk to experience mental health symptoms in the immediate aftermath.—
Rhitu Chatterjee,
NPR,
20 May 2026
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As authorities try to determine what led to the loss of five lives, Sommaca is left to grieve a wife and daughter.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
20 May 2026
Verb
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Despite that underlying tension, kids play on the street outside while the large family has a dynamic like any other — noisily squabbling, joking, or in the case of the matriarchal grandmother, Mariam (Hiam Abbass), preparing a meal in a kitchen plagued by constant utility outages.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
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That's still an incredible class, especially considering the doldrums that have plagued the UCLA football program for the past decade plus.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Amidst this backdrop, Haruka Ayase and Daigo Yamamoto play a young couple mourning the recent death of their son, who brings a humanoid child robot into their home.—
Scott Feinberg,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
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Cunnane didn’t mourn the sad state of his headgear, though.—
Adam Van Brimmer,
AJC.com,
16 May 2026
Verb
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Cholera, a waterborne bacterial disease, has unleashed a perilous wave across southern Africa, with active outbreaks currently afflicting five countries in southern and central Africa.—
John Drake,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
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Nelson’s grandmother was afflicted with dementia at the time of first reading the novel while Miller Rogen’s mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at just 55 years old.—
Diana Lodderhose,
Deadline,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Early symptoms of the disease include fever, aches in the muscles and joints, severe headache, fatigue and sore throat.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
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The often-fatal virus, which causes fever, body aches, vomiting and diarrhea, spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected persons, contaminated materials or persons who have died from the disease, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
17 May 2026
Verb
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The French Resistance hero Jean Moulin was 44 when he was captured by the Gestapo in Lyon and tortured until his death, in July of 1943.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2026
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For months, he was tortured before eventually escaping by following a stream.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
Verb
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Everything at this Elmhurst flamepot is punched up, texture and flavor alike, from sighing-soft to tensile to snappy, and always hot-hot-hot.—
Ligaya Mishan,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
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When placed in front of him, the child either cowers backward in fear and sighs with relief when it's turned off or uses the Force to deactivate it.—
Kirsten Acuna,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Agonize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agonize. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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