agony
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agony
- /ˈæɡ.ə.ni/ US, UK
- /ˈeɪ̯ɡ.ə.ni/
Rhymes with -æɡəni
Where it comes from
14th century, via Old French and Latin from Ancient Greek ἀγωνία (agōnía, “emulation, competition, struggle”), from ἀγών (agṓn, “contest”). Specifically of the struggle that precedes death (mortal agony) from the 1540s. By surface analysis, agon + -y.
The sense of "extreme pain" from c. 1600.
noun agonies
- Extreme pain or anguish. When the weight fell on her foot, she cried out in agony.
- The sufferings of Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane (often capitalized). And being in an agonie, he prayed more earneſtly,[…].
- Violent contest or striving. The world is convulsed by the agonies of great nations.
- Paroxysm of joy; keen emotion. With cries and agonies of wild delight.
- The last struggle of life; death struggle.
Similar: anguish, torment, throe, distress, pang, suffering, agony, anguishment, bereavement, living death, torture · Opposite: ecstasy, analgesia, bliss, pleasure
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: suffering, torture, torment, anguish, pain, soreness, ordeal, angst, distress, grief, bitterness, anxiety, sorrow, plight, horrible, misery
noun
Similar: anguish, torment, throe, distress, pang, suffering, agony, anguishment, bereavement, living death, torture · Opposite: ecstasy, analgesia, bliss, pleasure
Translations
Every language
noun extreme pain
| Español | agonía, angustia |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 极大的痛苦 |
| Kiswahili | dhiki |
| Português | agonia |
| Français | agonie, angoisse |
| Deutsch | Agonie, Qual, Pein |
| Italiano | dolore, angoscia |
| Ελληνικά | οδύνη odýni, μαρτύριο martýrio |
| Română | agonie, suferință |
| Русский | страда́ние stradánije, аго́ния agónija |
| العربية | أَلَم ʔalam |
| עברית | יִסּוּרִים yissurím |
noun violent contest or striving
| Español | agonía |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 苦恼 kǔnǎo, 烦闷 fánmèn |
| Português | agonia |
| Français | agonie |
| Deutsch | Qual, Todeskampf |
| Italiano | agonia |
| Română | agonie |
| Русский | аго́ния agónija |
noun paroxysm of joy
| 中文 | （感情的） 迸发 |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Freudenausbruch |
| Italiano | parossismo |
| Русский | вы́плеск эмо́ций výplesk emócij |
noun last struggle of life
| Español | agonía |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 临死的挣扎 |
| Português | agonia |
| Français | agonie |
| Deutsch | Agonie, Todeskampf |
| Italiano | agonia |
| Ελληνικά | επιθανάτια αγωνία epithanátia agonía |
| Română | agonie |
| Русский | аго́ния agónija |
| العربية | اِحْتِضَار iḥtiḍār |
Talk about this word "agony." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/agony. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. agony. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/agony "agony." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/agony.Cite this
@misc{agony_2026,
title = {agony},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/agony},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
