Agony
noun /ˈæɡəni/ — Extreme suffering — the acute edge of pain at its most intense.
Definition
Extreme physical or mental suffering; the paroxysm of dying or of the final struggle; intense, acute distress.
Beyond the definition
Agony is the superlative of suffering — not all pain reaches it, but when it does the word arrives exactly. It comes from the Greek for struggle, the contest where everything is at stake. Agony is pain that demands all of your attention.
Origin & history
From Greek agōn — a contest, a struggle (from agein: to lead, drive). The struggle — originally the athletic contest, then the struggle with death, then any extreme suffering.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The agony was physical in a way she hadn't expected — grief located in the chest, in the joints.
He sat with the agony of knowing and not knowing simultaneously.
Agony garden: the translation of Gethsemane — the place of the olive press, the pressing down.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Agony” when the meaning fits your context: Extreme physical or mental suffering; the paroxysm of dying or of the final struggle; intense, acute distress.
Synonyms
Antonyms
comfort, ease, relief
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Exhaustion Amidst Chaos
An adult sits on a park bench with their head in their hands while a chaotic flow of people swirls around them.
The adult's posture, head in hands, amidst the surrounding chaos represents extreme mental suffering or agony. Their visible fatigue and disconnection from the crowd illustrate the acute, heavy distress of witnessing the world's struggles while feeling personally overwhelmed and unable to act.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Agony" mean?
Agony is noun meaning: Extreme suffering — the acute edge of pain at its most intense.. Extreme physical or mental suffering; the paroxysm of dying or of the final struggle; intense, acute distress.
Where does the word "Agony" come from?
From Greek agōn — a contest, a struggle (from agein: to lead, drive). The struggle — originally the athletic contest, then the struggle with death, then any extreme suffering.