agony

noun

ag·​o·​ny ˈa-gə-nē How to pronounce agony (audio)
plural agonies
Synonyms of agony
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 of agony

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distress, suffering, misery, agony mean the state of being in great trouble.

distress implies an external and usually temporary cause of great physical or mental strain and stress.

the hurricane put everyone in great distress

suffering implies conscious endurance of pain or distress.

the suffering of famine victims

misery stresses the unhappiness attending especially sickness, poverty, or loss.

some people live in misery every day

agony suggests pain too intense to be borne.

in agony over the death of their child

Examples of agony in a Sentence

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
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.
Bugs Bunny jams himself against the edge and grits his teeth in agony. — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026 The striking bronze sculpture depicts an outstretched arm reaching to the sky as hundreds of small human figures cling to it and each other with expressions of agony. — Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026 That night, the horse was thrashing and writhing in agony, suffering from the pain of its wound. — Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026 The man with almost no injury was writhing in agony, while the man with a four-inch nail lodged near his brain kept working for six days, not even realizing the nail was there. — Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for agony

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of agony was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing agony

Browse Nearby Words

agonothete
agony
agony aunt
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Cite this Entry

“Agony.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/agony. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

agony

noun
ag·​o·​ny ˈag-ə-nē How to pronounce agony (audio)
plural agonies
1
: intense pain of mind or body
2
: a strong sudden display of emotion : outburst
an agony of delight
Etymology

Middle English agonie "agony," from Latin agonia (same meaning), from Greek agōnia "struggle," from agōn "gathering, contest for a prize"

Word Origin
In ancient Greece a public gathering was called agōn. 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 agōnia. 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 originally meant a happy celebration.

Medical Definition

agony

noun
ag·​o·​ny ˈag-ə-nē How to pronounce agony (audio)
plural agonies
1
: intense pain of mind or body
2
: the struggle that precedes death
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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