agony

noun

ag·o·ny ˈa-gə-nē How to pronounce agony (audio)

plural agonies

: intense pain of mind or body : anguish, torture

the agony of rejection

the agony of defeat

: the struggle that precedes death

: a violent struggle or contest

the agonies of battle

: a strong sudden display (as of joy or delight) : outburst

an agony of mirth

Did you know?

In Ancient Greece, a public gathering was called agon. Since the Greeks placed a high value on sports and athletic competition, there were almost always athletic events at gatherings on festival days. The struggle to win the prize in such contests came to be called agonia. This term came also to be used for any difficult physical struggle and then for the pain that went with it—physical or mental. Our English word agony, meaning “intense pain of mind or body,” thus comes from a word that meant a happy celebration.

Example Sentences

She was in terrible agony after breaking her leg. The medicine relieves the agony of muscle cramps very quickly. It was agony to watch him suffer like that.

Recent Examples on the Web The standards are needed, say passenger rights advocates, to ensure that passengers are not in agony during long flights and are able to escape a plane quickly in the case of an emergency.

Tribune News Service, oregonlive, 21 Aug. 2022 The standards are needed, say passenger rights advocates, to ensure that passengers are not in agony during long flights and are able to escape a plane quickly in the case of an emergency.

Hugo Martín, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2022 Around that time, while waiting in agony hundreds of miles away, Makia Henriques had a feeling.

Lea Skene, Baltimore Sun, 2 Aug. 2022 Following Thursday’s outburst in court, Faith Burton, a family friend of Hughes, told Fox’s WXIX-TV that Hughes has been in agony since his son’s death.

Lindsey Bever, Washington Post, 25 June 2022 His earlier reticence may have left many of his countrymen unprepared for the agony that was about to unfold.

Stephen Collinson, CNN, 28 Feb. 2022 Davis cites the high percentage of young Black men in prison; Demetrius Burns sheds his tunic, whereupon the four men give way to agony and despair while the five women form a chorus line.

Jeffrey Gantz, BostonGlobe.com, 5 June 2022 Using a mix of news coverage and cell phone footage, Roher cycles through the gut-clutching agony and chaos of the poisoning and its immediate aftermath.

Justin Changfilm Critic, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2022 Jansen thinks often about the agony and ecstasy of his Olympic career — and of that salute to his sister.

Erik Brady, USA TODAY, 2 Feb. 2022 See More

agony

noun

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

Relevance

nightmare
misery
torture
torment
horror
hell
murder
ordeal
curse
tragedy
misfortune
calamity
tribulation
cross
calvary
Gehenna
affliction
trial
thorn
gall
drag
downer
bummer

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

joy
heaven
pleasure
delight
entertainment
recreation
fun
paradise
diversion
riot
picnic
lark

as in anguish

a state of great suffering of body or mind the agony of never knowing what happened to her son

Synonyms & Similar Words

anguish
distress
misery
pain
discomfort
torment
torture
woe
excruciation
tribulation
sorrow
hurt
sadness
pang
travail
heartbreak
hardship
affliction
difficulty
strait(s)
rack
heartache
ache
trouble
danger
unhappiness
emergency
crucible
cross
joylessness
soreness
smarting
jeopardy
trial
twinge
throe
stitch
rigor
pinch
asperity

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

relief
consolation
comfort
solace
ease
alleviation
assuagement
peace
security
well-being

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

explosion
burst
outburst
eruption
spasm
blaze
paroxysm
flash
gust
gale
ebullition
frenzy
flare
flush
ecstasy
gush
rage
storm
fit
flare-up
delirium
rapture
tantrum
blowup
transport
grouch
firestorm
furor

Synonym Chooser

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

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

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

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

单词	agony
释义	agony noun ag·o·ny ˈa-gə-nē plural agonies 1 a : intense pain of mind or body : anguish, torture the agony of rejection the agony of defeat b : the struggle that precedes death 2 : a violent struggle or contest the agonies of battle 3 : a strong sudden display (as of joy or delight) : outburst an agony of mirth Did you know? In Ancient Greece, a public gathering was called agon. Since the Greeks placed a high value on sports and athletic competition, there were almost always athletic events at gatherings on festival days. The struggle to win the prize in such contests came to be called agonia. This term came also to be used for any difficult physical struggle and then for the pain that went with it—physical or mental. Our English word agony, meaning “intense pain of mind or body,” thus comes from a word that meant a happy celebration. Synonyms Gehenna hell horror misery murder nightmare torment torture See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences She was in terrible agony after breaking her leg. The medicine relieves the agony of muscle cramps very quickly. It was agony to watch him suffer like that. Recent Examples on the Web The standards are needed, say passenger rights advocates, to ensure that passengers are not in agony during long flights and are able to escape a plane quickly in the case of an emergency. Tribune News Service, oregonlive, 21 Aug. 2022 The standards are needed, say passenger rights advocates, to ensure that passengers are not in agony during long flights and are able to escape a plane quickly in the case of an emergency. Hugo Martín, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2022 Around that time, while waiting in agony hundreds of miles away, Makia Henriques had a feeling. Lea Skene, Baltimore Sun, 2 Aug. 2022 Following Thursday’s outburst in court, Faith Burton, a family friend of Hughes, told Fox’s WXIX-TV that Hughes has been in agony since his son’s death. Lindsey Bever, Washington Post, 25 June 2022 His earlier reticence may have left many of his countrymen unprepared for the agony that was about to unfold. Stephen Collinson, CNN, 28 Feb. 2022 Davis cites the high percentage of young Black men in prison; Demetrius Burns sheds his tunic, whereupon the four men give way to agony and despair while the five women form a chorus line. Jeffrey Gantz, BostonGlobe.com, 5 June 2022 Using a mix of news coverage and cell phone footage, Roher cycles through the gut-clutching agony and chaos of the poisoning and its immediate aftermath. Justin Changfilm Critic, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2022 Jansen thinks often about the agony and ecstasy of his Olympic career — and of that salute to his sister. Erik Brady, USA TODAY, 2 Feb. 2022 See More Word History Etymology Middle English agonie, borrowed from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French agonie, borrowed from Late Latin agōnia, borrowed from Greek agōnía "contest, struggle, anguish," from agṓn "gathering, assembly at games, contest for a prize" (derivative of ágein "to lead, drive") + -ia -y entry 2 — more at agent First Known Use 14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Phrases Containing agony agony aunt agony column agony aunt agony column Kids Definition agony noun ag·o·ny ˈa-gə-nē plural agonies : great physical pain or emotional distress Medical Definition agony noun ag·o·ny ˈag-ə-nē plural agonies 1 : intense pain of mind or body 2 : the struggle that precedes death agony noun 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 Relevance nightmare misery torture torment horror hell murder ordeal curse tragedy misfortune calamity tribulation cross calvary Gehenna affliction trial thorn gall drag downer bummer Antonyms & Near Antonyms joy heaven pleasure delight entertainment recreation fun paradise diversion riot picnic lark See More 2 as in anguish a state of great suffering of body or mind the agony of never knowing what happened to her son Synonyms & Similar Words anguish distress misery pain discomfort torment torture woe excruciation tribulation sorrow hurt sadness pang travail heartbreak hardship affliction difficulty strait(s) rack heartache ache trouble danger unhappiness emergency crucible cross joylessness soreness smarting jeopardy trial twinge throe stitch rigor pinch asperity Antonyms & Near Antonyms relief consolation comfort solace ease alleviation assuagement peace security well-being See More 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 explosion burst outburst eruption spasm blaze paroxysm flash gust gale ebullition frenzy flare flush ecstasy gush rage storm fit flare-up delirium rapture tantrum blowup transport grouch firestorm furor Synonym Chooser 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 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 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 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
随便看	hemikaryon hemikaryotic Hemileia hemimellitene hemimellitic acid hemimerid Hemimeroidea Hemimerus Hemimetabola hemimetabolae hemimetabolas hemimetabole hemimetabolism hemimetabolisms hemimetabolous hemimetaboly hemimetamorphic hemimetamorphoses hemimetamorphosis hemimetamorphous hemimixis hemimorph hemimorphic hemimorphism hemimorphisms

agony

noun

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing agony

Kids Definition

noun

Medical Definition

noun

noun

Synonym Chooser