agonized

[ag-uh-nahyzd]

adjective

1. involving or accompanied by agony or severe struggle.

   an agonized effort.

Other Word Forms

• agonizedly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of agonized¹

First recorded in 1575–85; agonize + -ed ²

Example Sentences

He agonized over the couple’s son, who had just witnessed his mother’s violent death, and vowed not to cheat the law with “subterfuge.”

From Los Angeles Times

“That’s what agonized him so much — that when you record things, they are forever.”

From Los Angeles Times

That triggered another fraught process as board members agonized over the structure of a deal that would reward rank-and-file shareholders — not just the Redstones.

From Los Angeles Times

She agonized over what it would sound like.

From Los Angeles Times

I agonized about what to do but never made concrete plans.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• appalling 
• awful 
• calamitous 
• deplorable 
• disappointing 
• disastrous 
• dreadful 
• feeble 
• grim 
• lamentable 
• lousy 
• miserable 
• paltry 
• pathetic 
• pitiful 
• shocking 
• sorry 
• wretched