1
as in to persecute
to cause persistent suffering to
got into more trouble, further agonizing her poor mother
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to grieve
to feel deep sadness or mental pain
agonized for days over whether she'd done the right thing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of agonize
To accept that there will always be creatures teeming nearby, some of them agonizing, expelled from their days.
—
María Ospina, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
Because coverage is guaranteed, people do not have to agonize every year over choosing a health plan based on countless variables.
—Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2026
The parents who keep looking for him, agonizing over his health.
—Connor Letourneau, San Francisco Chronicle, 7 Mar. 2026
Some 36,000 fans at Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field, and many more tuning in on radio and television, agonized through one of the Fall Classic’s wildest and most emotional conclusions.
—Hillel Italie, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for agonize
María Ospina, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
Because coverage is guaranteed, people do not have to agonize every year over choosing a health plan based on countless variables.
—Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2026
The parents who keep looking for him, agonizing over his health.
—Connor Letourneau, San Francisco Chronicle, 7 Mar. 2026
Some 36,000 fans at Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field, and many more tuning in on radio and television, agonized through one of the Fall Classic’s wildest and most emotional conclusions.
—Hillel Italie, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for agonize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agonize
Verb
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Walker, however, agreed with the majority that the president cannot deport migrants to countries where they will be persecuted or strip them of mandatory procedures that protect against their removal.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Walker, however, agreed with the majority that the president cannot deport migrants to countries where they will be persecuted or strip them of mandatory procedures that protect against their removal.—
Michael Kunzelman,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In a public apology shared last week with grieving community members in a 2,000-person rural mining town called Tumbler Ridge, the OpenAI CEO promised to do better next time.—
Robert Pearlman,
ArsTechnica,
29 Apr. 2026
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In-person collage-making for those grieving.—
Staff Report,
Baltimore Sun,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The tennis elbows that forced him to miss the first few months of the 2025 season still require maintenance, and he’s been plagued by various lower-body injuries throughout his Yankees career.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
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Pablo Escobar's reign of terror didn't end with his death and continues today in the form of a horde of hippos plaguing the Colombian countryside.—
Carlie Procell,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Per executives, Ganesh was written off for storyline purposes, leaving fans to mourn the beloved character.—
Payton Turkeltaub,
Variety,
25 Apr. 2026
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Relatives of Amal Khalil, a Lebanese journalist who officials and her employer say was killed by an Israeli airstrike yesterday, gathered in Baysariyeh in southern Lebanon this morning to mourn her loss ahead of funeral processions.—
Sean Nevin,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In 1602, she was afflicted by a slew of symptoms, such as convulsions, fits, and terrors.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
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And so what was once out of bounds continued to move within the Pale, and a scourge went on afflicting politicians and groypers and, yes, comedians alike.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Her knees, back, and hands ached.—
Lizzie Johnson,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
-
All tickborne viruses cause fever, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches, while some (like Lyme) cause distinctive rashes.—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Najib was in that position in 2011 when teenagers who scrawled antigovernment graffiti on a school wall in Daraa were arrested and tortured.—
Ghaith Alsayed,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
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Towns tortured the Hawks, scoring 20 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out 10 assists, marking the first triple-double of his playoff career.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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When placed in front of him, the child either cowers backward in fear and sighs with relief when it's turned off or uses the Force to deactivate it.—
Kirsten Acuna,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
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Seeing her dad’s handwriting, Lally sighed.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Agonize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agonize. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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