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
Choosing death was agonizing enough, but Ms. Demontigny had to declare, in precise details, the circumstances under which the lethal dose would be administered.
—
Renaud Philippe, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025
But members don’t just agonize over their posts and DM etiquette to avoid getting ghosted.
—Violet Piper, Curbed, 28 Jan. 2025
Certainly any commuter clenching his or her teeth traveling on Highway 101 through Silicon Valley or agonizing along the 405 Freeway in Los Angeles won’t complain the state has too few occupants.
—Mark Z. Barabak, The Mercury News, 21 Jan. 2025
Some news organizations have agonized over whether to carry Mr. Trump — and his penchant for falsehoods — live on air.
—Benjamin Mullin, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for agonize
Renaud Philippe, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025
But members don’t just agonize over their posts and DM etiquette to avoid getting ghosted.
—Violet Piper, Curbed, 28 Jan. 2025
Certainly any commuter clenching his or her teeth traveling on Highway 101 through Silicon Valley or agonizing along the 405 Freeway in Los Angeles won’t complain the state has too few occupants.
—Mark Z. Barabak, The Mercury News, 21 Jan. 2025
Some news organizations have agonized over whether to carry Mr. Trump — and his penchant for falsehoods — live on air.
—Benjamin Mullin, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for agonize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agonize
Verb
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The Roman authorities persecuted Christians harshly, subjecting them to torture and deaths even more gruesome than crucifixion.—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2025
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The former president has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and says he's being politically persecuted.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Tom Richard Santos with John of Sherwood: After the death of Robin Hood, a grieving Little John returns to his ancestral Celtic tribe to protect it from the corrupt Church bent on stealing its land — and to confront the dark truth of his crimes as a Merry Man.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
9 Apr. 2025
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Bravo’s grieving family were further frustrated by the California Highway Patrol’s decision not to issue an Amber Alert — the statewide alert activated by authorities to help find missing children — after Lee and the children disappeared.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The community support comes at an apartment complex that both residents say is plagued with drugs and violence.—
PJ Green,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2025
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The firm works heavily with the community surrounding the market and carries a mission to identify and establish alternatives to the pitfalls plaguing fashion’s current business model including overproduction and greenwashing.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The father of Lucas Osuna, a Belen Jesuit Preparatory School student who died at a water polo tournament Friday, mourned his son on a double post to Instagram and Facebook.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
30 Mar. 2025
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The horse racing world is mourning the loss of an accomplished harness driver after a racing accident earlier this month.—
Jonathan Limehouse,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2025
Verb
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In the first trailer for Universal’s live-action reimagining of Dreamworks’ 2010 film How to Train Your Dragon, there’s no hint that the CGI is going in the gritty, overly lifelike direction that has afflicted other live-action remakes of years past.—
Michael Savio,
Vulture,
3 Apr. 2025
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In a state and city so afflicted by the culture of corruption, as the Tribune reported exhaustively last year in a series of pieces tracing our sordid history, federal prosecutors have played an indispensable role in unearthing these stories and making our politicians pay for abusing their offices.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Toronto has, for years, been aching for a superstar to stay in its midst.—
Barry M. Bloom,
Sportico.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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That day, an elbow that ached throughout his rehab from Tommy John surgery gave way.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
2 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The six defendants allegedly began holding a man against his will on March 14 and proceeded to torture him at a Red Roof Inn in Maumee, Ohio, according to an arrest warrant.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
1 Apr. 2025
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Eddie quickly discovers that he was lured into the vehicle by William (Anthony Hopkins), the car's wealthy sociopathic owner who tortures criminals (and mocks them over the car's phone) after a life-changing encounter with muggers.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The transformations that make employees sigh today are mandatory for thriving tomorrow.—
Sherzod Odilov,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
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Above them, burned forever in my memory, a sighing woman in white, legs bound, reclines on top of a pillar.—
Lisa Brown,
New York Times,
21 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Agonize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agonize. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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