1
as in nightmare
a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness
waiting all those hours to hear if he'd survived the plane crash was pure agony
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in distress
a state of great suffering of body or mind
the agony of never knowing what happened to her son
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in explosion
a sudden intense expression of strong feeling
the announcement that the war was over unleashed a mass agony of joy
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of agony
The first consequence is Dina’s (Isabela Merced) agony when Jesse (Young Mazino) pushes the (massive!
—
Sara Netzley, EW.com, 26 May 2025
Only President Trump and Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy can stop this runaway train of the federal railway monopoly and spare years of agony for passengers using Penn Station, which also includes ten of thousands on NJTransit.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 5 May 2025
Unlike their turn-of-the-20th century forebears, most 21st century parents will never know the agony of losing a child, as infant mortality rates have fallen below 1%.
— Made By History, Time, 29 Apr. 2025
Barking in agony, the fox scratches and claws in any attempt to free itself and get to safety.
—Outside Online, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for agony
Sara Netzley, EW.com, 26 May 2025
Only President Trump and Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy can stop this runaway train of the federal railway monopoly and spare years of agony for passengers using Penn Station, which also includes ten of thousands on NJTransit.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 5 May 2025
Unlike their turn-of-the-20th century forebears, most 21st century parents will never know the agony of losing a child, as infant mortality rates have fallen below 1%.
— Made By History, Time, 29 Apr. 2025
Barking in agony, the fox scratches and claws in any attempt to free itself and get to safety.
—Outside Online, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for agony
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agony
Noun
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Left-hander Reid Detmers, whose three-game nightmare stretch a month ago began with a game in Seattle, struck out two in a scoreless inning, including Mariners star Cal Raleigh.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
7 June 2025
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For rule-followers like me, the prankster types were a nightmare.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
People.com,
7 June 2025
Noun
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The report highlights research on young adults that shows that trans students who participate in collegiate sports are less likely to experience distress, self-harm and suicidal thoughts.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
6 June 2025
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That places an onerous burden on Henson, doing her considerable best trying to sustain a role whose Job-like travails crank the distress level to 11 too soon.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
6 June 2025
Noun
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Photo taken after an explosion in downtown Tehran amid Israel's two-day campaign of strikes against Iran on June 15.—
Peter Aitken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 June 2025
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The explosion of betting options signals the next stage of growth for U.S. sports betting, shifting from wagers placed before a game to betting during a game.—
Brendan Coffey,
Sportico.com,
15 June 2025
Noun
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In a season full of misery and a historic number of losses, there was plenty of reason to celebrate Colorado’s first walk-off win.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
12 June 2025
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Greta’s missed opportunity to understand the deep roots of this misery is another lesson lost to the world.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
11 June 2025
Noun
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Among the thousands left in anguish is Sasha Escalante, a 44-year-old Venezuelan radio producer living in Miami.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
5 June 2025
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Criminalizing them can lead to extended mental anguish.—
Sophie Clark,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 June 2025
Noun
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Then, just before the neutron star is consumed by the black hole, these waves turn into a powerful blast, emitting a burst of radio waves known as a fast radio burst (FRB).—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
5 June 2025
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Ranch: Smooth, rich and irresistibly savory – our Ranch Snack Wrap delivers a satisfying burst of cool ranch goodness, with hints of garlic and onion.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
4 June 2025
Noun
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Playing in a driving rain, each man was facing off against the punishing course, their talented peers and the elements as the rain and wind turned Oakmont into a US Open torture chamber.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
15 June 2025
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Today's monkey torture videos are the products of a digitally connected world.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
14 June 2025
Noun
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How permanent? were questions that Bearden suggested the jury consider to guide the panel’s deliberation on Elijah’s pain and his family’s loss of companionship and mental anguish.—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 June 2025
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Tattoos Health Risk #2: Long-Term Skin Problems Roughly 10% of people with tattoos experience chronic skin conditions, such as itching, redness, swelling or pain can last long after the original tattoo heals.—
Jesse Pines,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Agony.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agony. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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