Synonyms

agonized

American

[ag-uh-nahyzd] / ˈæg əˌnaɪzd /

adjective

involving or accompanied by agony or severe struggle.

an agonized effort.

Other Word Forms

agonizedly

adverb

Etymology

Origin of agonized

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

I’m agonized by the thought that she might have sought help before she died.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

Only much later did I find out what agonized him, when I approached his booth and asked if he was taking requests.

From Salon • Dec. 14, 2025

Kwangchul Youn was a mesmerizing storyteller as Gurnemanz; Brian Mulligan a poignant, agonized Amfortas; Falk Struckmann a powerful Klingsor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 19, 2025

The family reported the 86-year-old missing and agonized about her fate.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 16, 2025

For years afterward, she would sometimes wake in the night, heart thumping, thinking she’d heard that agonized cry again.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023