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agony
[ ag-uh-nee ]
noun
- extreme and generally prolonged pain; intense physical or mental suffering.
- a display or outburst of intense mental or emotional excitement:
an agony of joy.
Synonyms: paroxysm
- the struggle preceding natural death:
mortal agony.
- a violent struggle.
- Often Agony. Theology. the sufferings of Christ in the garden of Gethsemane.
agony
/ ˈæɡənɪ /
noun
- acute physical or mental pain; anguish
- the suffering or struggle preceding death
- pile on the agony informal.pile on the agonyput on the agonyturn on the agony to exaggerate one's distress for sympathy or greater effect
- modifier relating to or advising on personal problems about which people have written to the media
agony column
agony writer
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Word History and Origins
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Word History and Origins
Origin of agony1
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Synonym Study
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Example Sentences
It should serve as a reminder of those parents still experiencing that agony.
If your muscles feel so tight that the gentlest prod causes agony, a heated pad can be a great ally.
Through Nadir’s journey, Joukhadar gives us a raw and powerful portrayal of his character’s agony and loneliness as he deals with living in a body that make him look female.
I once imagined the agony of illness being the greatest challenge I’d face as a doctor.
Twice, Raymond Jefferson’s service to his country left him in pain, agony and facing years of recovery.
Truth be told, there is no one better at capturing the agony and alarm of a woman in the throes of a nervous breakdown than Moore.
The agony of being so close to our goal but failing gnaws at our insides while we replay the events over and over in our heads.
Animals in agony or danger are used by Martin Wittfooth, often to hint at the future of the human condition.
Murray lost 6-1 7-6, 6-2 as Kate and William grimaced and groaned in agony with the rest of the nation.
But if he positioned himself a certain way, he found he could avoid excruciating agony.
In the year of misery, of agony and suffering in general he had endured, he had settled upon one theory.
Your sacrifice shall be the agony of agonies, the death of deaths, and yet you'll find yourself unable to resist.
Each sentence came as if torn piecemeal from his unwilling tongue; short, jerky phrases, conceived in pain and delivered in agony.
Having reduced Punch to a second agony of tears Harry departed upstairs with the news that Punch was still rebellious.
How little did she realize the long drawn-out agony that was even then beginning for her sisters in that ill-fated entrenchment!
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More About Agony
What does agony mean?
Agony is extreme pain or suffering, especially the kind that lasts for a long time. The word anguish is a close synonym.
Agony can be physical or emotional. A person who has just broken their leg and a person who has just experienced the death of a loved one could both be said to be in agony—in a state of extreme pain or suffering.
However, agony is perhaps more commonly used in the context of emotional pain (in which case it often likens such suffering to intense physical pain).
The verb agonize can mean to be in agony, but it most commonly means to put forth a great effort—to struggle or strive, as in She’s been agonizing about what to get you for your birthday.
The adjective agonizing means filled with or resulting in agony, as in agonizing pain.
Agony also has a few other meanings that are much less common. It can mean an outburst of intense emotional excitement, even a positive one, as in an agony of joy. It can also mean an intense or violent struggle, as in He was in an agony of indecision. More specifically, it can refer to the struggle or suffering that precedes death.
Example: I hope you’ll never have to experience the sheer agony of losing a child.
Where does agony come from?
The first records of the word agony come from the 1300s. It comes from the Greek agōnia, meaning “struggle,” from agōn, “contest.”
Agony appears in the expression “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat,” which was used in the introduction of the long-running TV show titled Wide World of Sports. The phrase is typically used to contrast the range of intense emotions that can result from a competition that has winners and losers, such as a championship game or an election, with losing sometimes causing agony. Similarly, agony is sometimes contrasted with its extreme opposite, ecstasy—extreme pleasure or joy.
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to agony?
What are some synonyms for agony?
What are some words that share a root or word element with agony?
What are some words that often get used in discussing agony?
How is agony used in real life?
Agony can refer to physical pain, but perhaps most commonly refers to emotional pain.
#21: I have broken my right leg twice: once at age 2 falling out a 2nd story window; again at 6 when hit by a car (femur). Level 11 agony.
— Ursus Draconosaur (@Thrashbear) July 10, 2011
Someone told me yesterday that the absolute refusal to ask for help even when you’re in agony is rooted in trauma and we have been conditioned to look at it as strength. My brain is still processing this.
— Nikita Gill (@nktgill) October 19, 2020
Ghosting is for cowards.
In relationships and in business.
Have the difficult conversation.
Allow yourself to be uncomfortable for a few minutes and spare someone else the agony of wondering where they went wrong.
— Natasha Link (@NatashaLink1) October 24, 2020
Try using agony!
Is agony used correctly in the following sentence?
The ecstasy of having won the election was soon replaced by the agony of realizing that the results were not correct.
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