1
as in painful
hard to accept or bear especially emotionally
agonizing cries rose up from the dungeon
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wrenching
intensely or unbearably painful
died an agonizing death
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1
as in suffering
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2
as in indecision
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1
as in plaguing
to cause persistent suffering to
got into more trouble, further agonizing her poor mother
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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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of agonizing
John Blake, CNN, 3 Nov. 2024
Watching Stephen practice asking to see Nicholas is agonizing.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 1 Nov. 2024
Once solved, the box summons the Cenobites, sadomasochistic beings from a dimension of pain and suffering who are all too happy to show jaded mortals an agonizing good time.
—Katie Rife, EW.com, 29 Oct. 2024
Watching the skiers geared up and ready to go only to have the race canceled at the last minute was agonizing.
—Ed Meza, Variety, 2 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for agonizing 
Adjective
Their son’s admission would send the McDonalds on a journey that forced them to make agonizing choices about their faith and family.
—John Blake, CNN, 3 Nov. 2024
Watching Stephen practice asking to see Nicholas is agonizing.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 1 Nov. 2024
Once solved, the box summons the Cenobites, sadomasochistic beings from a dimension of pain and suffering who are all too happy to show jaded mortals an agonizing good time.
—Katie Rife, EW.com, 29 Oct. 2024
Watching the skiers geared up and ready to go only to have the race canceled at the last minute was agonizing.
—Ed Meza, Variety, 2 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for agonizing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agonizing
Adjective
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This lightweight trail runner is designed to slide on like a sock, eliminating painful pressure points and decreasing the possibility of blisters.Emily Pennington, Outside Online, 15 Nov. 2024
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These punishments are especially painful since North Korea’s economy has been severely strained by international sanctions, the COVID-19 pandemic, and economic mismanagement.Sungmin Cho, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Compassionate: Use influence to prevent and alleviate the suffering of others.Laurel Donnellan, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
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These firms' opacity in the face of human suffering and clear risk of violations of international law indicates an unacceptable sense of impunity.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024
Noun
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From market position to operational efficiency and reputational risk, indecision can compromise a company’s ability to act, adapt and grow.Swapna Sathyan, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
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That assessment does not take into account continuing indecision and disagreement among key Palestinians on how to move forward.Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Oct. 2024
Verb
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One can only hope that Harris and Cheney’s alliance will send a message of civility—and unity—to a tense and grieving nation in the remaining weeks before November 5.Emma Specter, Vogue, 4 Oct. 2024
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At the same time, more radical protest groups are publicly grieving Israel’s recent killing of the longtime leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah.Simone Weichselbaum, NBC News, 2 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Trump has promised to enact a new fiscal and economic regime, including harsh tariffs that some economists fear could have inflationary effects.Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
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For your glass cooktop, avoid harsh chemicals and abrasive sponges.Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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According to the political scientist Pierre Englebert, the Congolese government and people lose as much as $4 billion in revenue every year due to state agents’ manipulation of mining contracts and payments, torturous budget practices, and outright theft.Stephen R. Weissman, Foreign Affairs, 8 June 2015
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The right boots, however, can make previously torturous bell-to-bell days no big deal.Drew Zieff, Outside Online, 9 Oct. 2024
Noun
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While the women are coming in oozing with persona and charisma, there is still a sense of hesitation in trying to mark their territory.Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 11 Nov. 2024
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In new partnerships, there’s often a sense of hesitation as both sides gauge each other’s commitment.Benjamin Laker, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The soles feature high-density memory foam to keep aching feet comfortable while walking the dog or checking the mail.Nora Colomer, Fox News, 19 Oct. 2024
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In my suite, the bathroom’s heated marble floor soothed my aching feet.Alexandra Kleeman, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near agonizing
Cite this Entry
“Agonizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agonizing. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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