agonizing

adjective

ag·​o·​niz·​ing ˈa-gə-ˌnī-ziŋ How to pronounce agonizing (audio)
: causing agony
agonizingly adverb

Examples of agonizing in a Sentence

a long and agonizing battle with cancer She made the agonizing decision to cancel the trip. The agonizing wait was finally over. He was in agonizing pain.
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 eight agonizing days, M. Paul Traynor, a native of Dublin, Ireland, who has lived in Easton, Maryland, for the past 35 years, was left desperately searching for his missing dog. Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025 After twenty agonizing minutes of missiles, the all-clear sounded. Debbie Koristz, Sun Sentinel, 11 July 2025 The 2-to-1 decision was the latest upheaval for families awaiting a resolution in the long, agonizing case and does not mean the conspiracy trial can start soon. New York Times, 11 July 2025 That shame sometimes spiraled into agonizing hypotheticals. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for agonizing

Word History

Etymology

from present participle of agonize

First Known Use

1570, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of agonizing was in 1570

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Cite this Entry

“Agonizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/agonizing. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

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