agony
[ ag-uh-nee ]
/ ˈæg ə ni /
noun, plural ag·o·nies.
extreme and generally prolonged pain; intense physical or mental suffering.
a display or outburst of intense mental or emotional excitement: an agony of joy.
the struggle preceding natural death: mortal agony.
a violent struggle.
(often initial capital letter) Theology. the sufferings of Christ in the garden of Gethsemane.
QUIZZES
DO YOU KNOW THIS VOCABULARY FROM "THE HANDMAID'S TALE"?
"The Handmaid's Tale" was required reading for many of us in school. Everyone else has probably watched the very popular and addictive TV show. Do you remember this vocabulary from the book, and do you know what these terms mean?
Question 1 of 10
decorum
Origin of agony
synonym study for agony
1. See pain.
Words nearby agony
agonist, agonistic, agonize, agonized, agonizing, agony, agony aunt, agony column, agony uncle, agora, agoraphobia
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for agony
British Dictionary definitions for agony
agony
/ (ˈæɡənɪ) /
noun plural -nies
acute physical or mental pain; anguish
the suffering or struggle preceding death
pile on the agony, put on the agony or turn on the agony British informal to exaggerate one's distress for sympathy or greater effect
(modifier) relating to or advising on personal problems about which people have written to the mediaagony column; agony writer
Word Origin for agony
C14: via Late Latin from Greek agōnia struggle, from agōn contest
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