agony

noun

ˈa-gə-nē How to pronounce agony (audio)
Definition of agonynext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun agony differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of agony are distress, misery, and suffering. While all these words mean "the state of being in great trouble," agony suggests pain too intense to be borne.

in agony over the death of their child

Where would distress be a reasonable alternative to agony?

The words distress and agony are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, distress implies an external and usually temporary cause of great physical or mental strain and stress.

the hurricane put everyone in great distress

When is it sensible to use misery instead of agony?

The meanings of misery and agony largely overlap; however, misery stresses the unhappiness attending especially sickness, poverty, or loss.

the homeless live with misery every day

When is suffering a more appropriate choice than agony?

In some situations, the words suffering and agony are roughly equivalent. However, suffering implies conscious endurance of pain or distress.

the suffering of famine victims

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of agony Jamal Musiala was writhing in agony, but what really hit hard was the way players on both teams were reacting to the Bayern Munich forward’s injury. —Oliver Kay, New York Times, 6 July 2025 She was disfigured and in agony—her childhood interrupted not by accident, but by algorithm. —Nicholas Cozzi, Time, 2 July 2025 Madeline Dunn says that one of her 18-month-old twins, Kai, woke up at 11 pm screaming in agony. —Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 2 July 2025 Meanwhile, Joseph writhes in the agony of his own newfound girl craziness (and cleavage obsession). —Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 7 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for agony
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agony
  1. nightmare
  2. distress
  3. explosion
  4. misery
  5. anguish
  6. burst
  7. torture
  8. pain
Noun
  • On top of the bathroom problems, the man says the kitchen is also a nightmare thanks to Jerry and Daisy, who leave dirty dishes around.
    — Ashley Vega, People.com, 27 July 2025
  • Even with my healthcare connections, advocating for her as a patient was a nightmare.
    — Zoya Hasan, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
Definition of nightmare
Noun
  • Extreme heat can also be an obstacle to exercising, spending time in nature, and socializing, all of which can make people feel good and also double as important coping mechanisms for emotional distress.
    — Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 26 July 2025
  • The lawsuit alleges both Transdev, which contracts with Boston Public Schools to provide bus transportation, and the driver Jean Charles were negligent and inflicted emotional distress on the family.
    — Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 25 July 2025
Definition of distress
Noun
  • The fighting began last week after a land mine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers.
    — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2025
  • But as the Sunshine State was facing the same chronic shortage of homes plaguing the rest of the country, the explosion in demand resulted in house prices booming to unprecedented highs.
    — Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Aug. 2025
Definition of explosion
Noun
  • Their relative misery even exceeds that of the Afghans and Iraqis.
    — John Tamny, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
  • Hungry people would not then have uploaded the image of the couple to TikTok, Twitter and Instagram, and all the other unfettered, unedited sites that traffic in human misery.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2025
Definition of misery
Noun
  • But the first lady and I are here in Texas to express the love and support and the anguish of our entire nation in the aftermath of this really horrific and deadly flood.
    — Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 11 July 2025
  • Ming-Na Wen Tapped Into Deep Emotions To Play Dr. Fong In ‘Karate Kid: Legends’ While Ming-Na Wen doesn’t throw a punch in Karate Kid: Legends, that doesn’t mean her character hasn’t been in past battles, particularly those dealing with mental anguish.
    — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
Definition of anguish
Noun
  • The galaxy can be seen undergoing a burst of star formation thanks to the tidal influence of a galactic neighbor, with the glowing red form of an emission nebula visible throughout, giving the impression of a cosmic firework display.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 13 July 2025
  • This act of formality did not prevent an easy atmosphere from developing in our classrooms; there were frequent bursts of laughter.
    — Brooke Allen, New Yorker, 12 July 2025
Definition of burst
Noun
  • The result is remarkable: a wave of primary pointillism as a lone figure aided by supporting hands pushes away a grey tableau of grim torture.
    — Charlie Campbell, Time, 1 Aug. 2025
  • But the way the wolves attack the cattle amounts to torture, the pair said.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Definition of torture
Noun
  • Common side effects of Botox include pain and bruising, skin irritation, bleeding, headache and flu symptoms.
    — Raven Brunner, People.com, 1 Aug. 2025
  • Symptoms of the disease include rashes, body pain and stiffness, muscle weakness and immune-system issues.
    — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 31 July 2025
Definition of pain

Browse Nearby Words

agonizingly
agony
agrarian
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Cite this Entry

“Agony.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agony. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

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