agonized

[ag-uh-nahyzd]

See more synonyms for agonized on Thesaurus.com

adjective

involving or accompanied by agony or severe struggle: an agonized effort.

Origin of agonized

First recorded in 1575–85; agonize + -ed²

Related formsag·o·niz·ed·ly

[ag-uh-nahy-zid-lee] /ˈæg əˌnaɪ zɪd li/, adverb

agonize

[ag-uh-nahyz]

verb (used without object), ag·o·nized, ag·o·niz·ing.

to suffer extreme pain or anguish; be in agony.
to put forth great effort of any kind.

verb (used with object), ag·o·nized, ag·o·niz·ing.

to distress with extreme pain; torture.

Also especially British, ag·o·nise.

Origin of agonize

1575–85; < Medieval Latin agōnizāre < Greek agōnízesthai to struggle (for a prize), equivalent to agōn- agon + -izesthai -ize

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for agonized

disturb, lament, harrow, excruciate, crucify, bleed, squirm, pain, afflict, torture, writhe, hurt, try, strain, torment, struggle, wince, labor, strive, martyr

Examples from the Web for agonized

Contemporary Examples of agonized

Most important, he was a mother figure—he cared for them, reassured them, agonized on them, nagged them, even wept for them.
What It Was Like to Watch the Beatles Become the Beatles—Nik Cohn Remembers
Nik Cohn
February 9, 2014
Announcement videos are agonized over internally, so a bit of close-reading can be revealing.
Tim Pawlenty's Obstacle Course
John Avlon
March 23, 2011
As President Barack Obama plays an agonized Hamlet over Afghanistan, the ice is cracking beneath his feet on Capitol Hill.
With Friends Like These
Martin Sieff
October 7, 2009

Historical Examples of agonized

No leisure is here, only quivering, intense, agonized anxiety.
The Forest
Stewart Edward White
But in his doctrine of spiritual integrity, in the agonized utterance, "Be true—be true!"
The American Mind
Bliss Perry
But, little by little, his face resumed an agonized expression.
L'Assommoir
Emile Zola
She seemed to have aged ten years from the hours of agonized weeping.
L'Assommoir
Emile Zola
He had answered his call, praying him in an agonized voice to descend and rescue him.
Murder Point
Coningsby Dawson

British Dictionary definitions for agonized

agonize

agonise

verb

to suffer or cause to suffer agony
(intr) to make a desperate effort; struggle; strive

Derived Formsagonizingly or agonisingly, adverb

Word Origin for agonize

C16: via Medieval Latin from Greek agōnizesthai to contend for a prize, from agōn agon

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for agonized

agonize

1580s, "to torture," from Middle French agoniser or directly from Medieval Latin agonizare, from Greek agonizesthai "to contend in the struggle" (see agony). Intransitive sense of "to suffer physical pain" is recorded from 1660s. That of "to worry intensely" is from 1853. Related: Agonized; agonizing.