Agony — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˈa-gə-nē/ ag·o·ny

Meaning & Definition of Agony

Agony (noun)

  1. intense pain of mind or body, anguish, torture
  2. the struggle that precedes death
  3. a violent struggle or contest

Agony (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: Gehenna, hell, horror, misery, murder, nightmare, torment, torture
    related: affliction, calvary, cross, curse, ordeal, trial, tribulation, calamity, misfortune, tragedy, gall, thorn, bummer, downer, drag
    opposite: heaven, paradise
    near: delight, diversion, entertainment, fun, joy, pleasure, recreation, lark, picnic, riot

  2. a state of great suffering of body or mind

    "the agony of never knowing what happened to her son"

    similar: affliction, anguish, distress, excruciation, hurt, misery, pain, rack, strait(s), torment, torture, travail, tribulation, woe
    related: discomfort, cross, crucible, trial, heartache, heartbreak, joylessness, sadness, sorrow, unhappiness, emergency, pinch, asperity, difficulty, hardship, rigor, ache, pang, smarting, soreness, stitch, throe, twinge, danger, jeopardy, trouble
    near: comfort, consolation, solace, alleviation, assuagement, ease, relief, peace, security, well-being

  3. a sudden intense expression of strong feeling

    "the announcement that the war was over unleashed a mass agony of joy"

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

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Agony

The most common words with a similar meaning to Agony:

Gehenna, hell, horror, misery, murder, nightmare, torment, torture, affliction, anguish, distress, excruciation, hurt, pain, rack, strait(s), travail, tribulation, woe, blaze, burst, ebullition, eruption, explosion, fit, flare, flare-up, flash, flush, gale, gush, gust, outburst, paroxysm, spasm, storm

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Agony

Words with the opposite meaning of Agony:

heaven, paradise

Related Words for Agony

calvary, cross, curse, ordeal, trial, calamity, misfortune, tragedy, gall, thorn, bummer, downer, drag, discomfort, crucible, heartache, heartbreak, joylessness, sadness, sorrow, unhappiness, emergency, pinch, asperity, difficulty, hardship, rigor, ache, pang, smarting

Near Antonyms of Agony

delight, diversion, entertainment, fun, joy, pleasure, recreation, lark, picnic, riot, comfort, consolation, solace, alleviation, assuagement, ease, relief, peace, security, well-being

Word Forms of Agony

Inflections: agonies

Origin & Etymology of Agony

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:2 agent

First known use: 14th century

Words & Phrases Containing Agony

agony aunt, agony column

Frequently Asked Questions about Agony

What does "Agony" mean?

"Agony" means intense pain of mind or body, anguish, torture. As a noun, it is defined as: intense pain of mind or body, anguish, torture. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Agony"?

Other words for "Agony" include Gehenna, hell, horror, misery, murder, nightmare, torment and torture. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Agony" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Agony"?

There are 84 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Agony". Common alternatives include Gehenna, hell, horror, misery, murder, nightmare, torment, torture, affliction and anguish.

What is the opposite of "Agony"?

Antonyms of "Agony" include heaven and paradise. Near antonyms include delight, diversion, entertainment and fun.

How do you use "Agony" in a sentence?

Examples of "Agony" in a sentence: "waiting all those hours to hear if he'd survived the plane crash was pure agony"; "the agony of never knowing what happened to her son"; "the announcement that the war was over unleashed a mass agony of joy".

Is "Agony" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Agony" is a noun.

How do you pronounce "Agony"?

"Agony" is pronounced /ˈa-gə-nē/ and divided into syllables as ag·o·ny.

What is the origin of the word "Agony"?

"Agony" comes from 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:2 agent. First known use: 14th century.