agonized 1 of 2

adjective

ˈa-gə-ˌnīzd How to pronounce agonized (audio)
Definition of agonizednext
as in weeping
expressing or suggesting mourning one look at his agonized, tearful eyes and it was clear that something was terribly wrong

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

agonized

2 of 2

verb

past tense of agonize
1
as in plagued
to cause persistent suffering to got into more trouble, further agonizing her poor mother

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in grieved
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

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.
Recent Examples of agonized
Adjective
An agonized woman, writhing and coughing and gnarled by disease, is found in a field on the edge of town. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026 His character in The Narrow Road to the Deep North could not be further from that, and his believability as an agonized Japanese major struggling with his orders is a sign of Kasamatsu’s broadening range. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Verb
The Look An admittedly anxious and insecure person, Keaton agonized about her looks from an early age. — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 26 Dec. 2025 Cassidy agonized about supporting Kennedy’s confirmation due to his record of anti-vaccine views, but ultimately cast the deciding vote for his nomination after receiving assurances about vaccine policy. — Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 21 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for agonized
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agonized
  1. weeping
  2. plagued
  3. grieved
  4. mournful
  5. persecuted
  6. mourned
  7. heartbroken
  8. afflicted
Adjective
  • And every day, across from them, outside the clinic, about to enter or just leaving, there were women hugging each other and weeping.
    — David Mamet, National Review, 11 Aug. 2022
  • The show manages to stay on the brink — always laughing, never quite weeping — for its entire length.
    — Helen Shaw, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2021
Definition of weeping
Verb
  • Ireland’s museum sector is reportedly plagued by precarious contracts, low pay, unpaid labor, and toxic workplace cultures, driving burnout, excluding talent, and risking the loss of vital institutional knowledge.
    — George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Trump has consistently blamed vandals for the botched renovation of the Reflecting Pool, which has been plagued by a peeling liner and resurfacing algae.
    — Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of plagued
Verb
  • The family grieved quietly, rarely speaking to one another about what happened, Phan said.
    — Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
  • We are further grieved by continuing violence and instability in the Middle East, including the recent conflict involving Iran and its widening humanitarian consequences.
    — Killingly-Brooklyn Interfaith Council, Hartford Courant, 9 July 2026
Definition of grieved
Adjective
  • Since his siblings were crying with the same mournful expression, clinging to their father’s corpse, Shoichiro willed himself to cry too, and the tears came immediately.
    — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
  • But there’s something mournful, something searching about his statement, too.
    — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 24 July 2026
Definition of mournful
Verb
  • Although the two programs similarly target humanitarian concerns, being a TPS holder does not guarantee asylum, which requires that applicants prove they’ve been persecuted on specific grounds.
    — Cameron Pugh, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Aug. 2026
  • In The Bacchae, Dionysus becomes violent only because his existence has been denied and his followers persecuted, and his maenads similarly become destructive only when pursued.
    — Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 31 July 2026
Definition of persecuted
Verb
  • Many fans also mourned the late Bob Saget, who died in 2022 from accidental blunt head trauma.
    — Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026
  • D’Arcy closes the window with an air of steely resolve, and in doing so declares the Rhaenyra who might have mourned her half-sister as dead and gone.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of mourned
Adjective
  • The beloved bald eagle and her partner, Shadow, had fans across the world captivated through Friends of Big Bear Valley's live-stream nest camera, and Jackie's death has left thousands heartbroken.
    — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Lyman Dawkins, mayor of Gaffney, said he was heartbroken over news of the shooting.
    — Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of heartbroken
Verb
  • Repeat this process once the soil has dried again, until affected plants are no longer afflicted with pests.
    — Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Blending horror with comedy, the Apple TV show takes place in a fictitious New England island town afflicted by a centuries-old curse that brings about supernatural evils.
    — Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 31 July 2026
Definition of afflicted

Browse Nearby Words

agonize
agonized
agonizes
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Agonized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agonized. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on agonized

Nglish: Translation of agonized for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All