agony

noun

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

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Choose the Right Synonym for agony

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.
For many, the relationship with tequila ended in their early 20s with promises made to some dormitory deity — often made of porcelain — to end a miserable night’s agony. — Todd Harmonson, Oc Register, 4 Aug. 2025 My wing-scarfing strategy was to plow through as many as possible before the agony set in, then survive the remainder without committing the day-ruining error of touching my eyes. — Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 2 Aug. 2025 In the strictest sense, Kershaw said, his own agony matched the mood of the fans. — Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 3 July 2025 With his wife in agony, Jason Nixdorf had a chance encounter with Zach Veigulis, a former chief data scientist at the Department of Veterans Affairs who was co-founding a company to help patients battle insurance company denials. — Gretchen Morgenson, NBC news, 18 July 2025 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 21 Aug. 2025.

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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

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