1
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
agonizing cries rose up from the dungeon
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wrenching
intensely or unbearably painful
died an agonizing death
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in suffering
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
2
as in indecision
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in plaguing
to cause persistent suffering to
got into more trouble, further agonizing her poor mother
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in grieving
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 agonizing
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
19 June 2026
There are many reasons the Rays have followed their amazing 22-4 stretch (from April 22-May 22) with an agonizing 7-15 run (May 24 through Wednesday).
—
Marc Topkin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 June 2026
Rand Richards Cooper,
Hartford Courant,
8 Jan. 2026
Connor Letourneau,
San Francisco Chronicle,
7 Mar. 2026
Since then, Arsenal has flirted with a series of agonizing near misses, most notably pipped at the post by Manchester City in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 Premier League campaigns.
—
Aleks Klosok,
CNN Money,
26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for agonizing
Adjective
His agonizing response — Chisholm spent several minutes on the ground in pain — only seemed to confirm that.
—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
19 June 2026
There are many reasons the Rays have followed their amazing 22-4 stretch (from April 22-May 22) with an agonizing 7-15 run (May 24 through Wednesday).
—
Marc Topkin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 June 2026
Noun
My agonizing over a coin toss illustrates the basic distortion that gambling exerts on spectating.
—
Rand Richards Cooper,
Hartford Courant,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
The parents who keep looking for him, agonizing over his health.
—
Connor Letourneau,
San Francisco Chronicle,
7 Mar. 2026
Since then, Arsenal has flirted with a series of agonizing near misses, most notably pipped at the post by Manchester City in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 Premier League campaigns.
—
Aleks Klosok,
CNN Money,
26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for agonizing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agonizing
Adjective
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And that says something painful about what my country has become, and my place in it.
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For thousands of Venezuelans, however, the absence of definitive answers has become one of the tragedy’s most painful consequences.
Adjective
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His most wrenching scene, when Stagg receives a devastating personal call but cannot react amid the intense geopolitical stakes, captured this tension.
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Another wrenching question, of course, is whether at least the younger Perez siblings would want or need to go with Olga to Guatemala if she were deported.
Noun
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Our car rides and plane trips, coffees and burgers, heating and cooling and clothing and everything else are paid for in blood—contributing, every moment, to the suffering and destruction global warming brings.
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The American colonists were friends with affliction and shared their suffering socially, in writing and conversation.
Noun
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Andy Burnham, Britain’s soon-to-be prime minister, wants an array of bold new policies to attract voters who have grown tired of a Labour government mired in indecision and political backbiting.
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At first, the Jell-O was also a way to express vulnerability, indecision and hesitation.
Verb
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This comes at a time when existential fiscal anxiety has been plaguing Americans.
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The other factor that Mercedes needs to consider is that reliability issue that’s plaguing itself and its customer teams.
Verb
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Scammers look for grieving spouses, newly single homeowners and families dealing with estate paperwork.
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It’s set in a recognizably near-future, where a grieving couple who have recently lost their son in a tragic accident decides to adopt a humanoid child — one that looks and sounds the same as their dead child.
Adjective
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White settlers and frontier pioneers built vast, fenceless cattle stations, battling harsh environments and disease, embracing a hard-living culture that exists to this day.
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Dish Soap Using harsh chemicals on the outside of your toilet bowl and fixtures is not recommended, according to Meagher.
Adjective
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As part of her job, Angèle needs to daub makeup on the models’ feet, blistered from the torturous heels they’re forced to wear.
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The film tells the story of Greek hero Odysseus’ long, torturous and fantastical trip home from the Trojan War, back to the Kingdom of Ithaca to save his wife and son.
Cite this Entry
“Agonizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agonizing. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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