1
as in to persecute
to cause persistent suffering to
got into more trouble, further agonizing her poor mother
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to grieve
to feel deep sadness or mental pain
agonized for days over whether she'd done the right thing
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of agonize
The outcome, in a package with a gross value of €30 billion ($33 billion) for 2025, ends weeks of government agonizing over how to reconcile a vow to accelerate Italy’s deficit cutting with the political necessity of meeting expensive election promises.
—
Kali Hays, Fortune Europe, 16 Oct. 2024
The Intel board agonized over the situation but followed management’s plan to maintain investment in R&D and build new factories.
—Craig Barrett, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2024
Phillips said the experience of having his work changed, facing hostility from his supervisors and agonizing about whether and how to alert authorities was traumatic.
—Sharon Lerner, ProPublica, 18 Sep. 2024
But even as Hope’s situation improved, Kotb agonized over the demands on her time.
—Charlotte Triggs, People.com, 9 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for agonize 
Kali Hays, Fortune Europe, 16 Oct. 2024
The Intel board agonized over the situation but followed management’s plan to maintain investment in R&D and build new factories.
—Craig Barrett, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2024
Phillips said the experience of having his work changed, facing hostility from his supervisors and agonizing about whether and how to alert authorities was traumatic.
—Sharon Lerner, ProPublica, 18 Sep. 2024
But even as Hope’s situation improved, Kotb agonized over the demands on her time.
—Charlotte Triggs, People.com, 9 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for agonize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for agonize
Verb
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Netanyahu is far more popular in Israel now than before the war and the Egyptian leader, who has viciously persecuted its parent organization, the global Muslim Brotherhood, has been reprieved by Western creditors in reward for maintaining a stony silence over Gaza.—
Max Rodenbeck,
TIME,
17 Jan. 2025
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The facts of the complex historical matter are somewhat simplified and compressed, but care is taken to inform the viewer — briefly — that the Mormons were persecuted in Missouri and Illinois and that church founder Joseph Smith was assassinated, to give some background to their defensiveness.—
Robert Lloyd,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2025
Verb
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And a little digging shows that the song wasn’t written until 1907 or recorded until 1909 — how could the grieving little girl possibly know it?—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
17 Jan. 2025
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The breadth of information provided to residents came from a desire to help a grieving community learn answers and find who should be held accountable for the fear gripping the region, deputies said in the interview.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacramento Bee,
17 Jan. 2025
Verb
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David in particular can’t seem to understand why Benji is so consistently plagued by suffering.—
Rachel Handler,
Vulture,
23 Jan. 2025
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This collaboration aims to address the wearability and content issues that have plagued previous XR devices.—
Ewan Spence,
Forbes,
21 Jan. 2025
Verb
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American flags are back to full-staff at the U.S. Capitol in honor of Donald Trump's inauguration, breaking from the U.S. flag code's guidelines for mourning a president.—
Rachel Raposas,
People.com,
20 Jan. 2025
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Hollywood mourned the loss with an immeasurable heavy heart, with tributes pouring in from Ron Howard, Mulholland Drive star Lee Grant, Judd Apatow, Sting, Eli Roth and many, many others.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
18 Jan. 2025
Verb
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What afflicts the great star of the court can equally afflict the great star of the quad.—
Adam Gopnik,
The New Yorker,
20 Jan. 2025
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Among them was the plight of Marie Freyre, a 14-year-old afflicted with cerebral palsy and seizures who died within 24 hours of a long, bumpy ride from a Tampa hospital to the Golden Glades nursing home, ordered despite objections from her family.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
17 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Proprietors of once-bustling shops that sell everything from lighting fixtures and doors to toilet bowls are aching for customers.—
Keith Bradsher,
New York Times,
17 Jan. 2025
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My heart aches for all of these people who are suffering.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Set during Brazil's military dictatorship in the 1970s, the film tells the story of Eunice, a mother of five who must rebuild her life after her husband Rubens, a politician opposing the regime, is tortured, killed, and listed among the Desaparecidos.—
Amanda Castro,
Newsweek,
23 Jan. 2025
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And she's long been tortured by their disappearance.—
Taylor Wilson,
USA TODAY,
21 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Jude Bellingham sighed and looked up to the sky — goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and centre-back Eder Militao had already suffered the same injury that campaign (Militao is currently out with an ACL injury).—
Mario Cortegana,
The Athletic,
18 Jan. 2025
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Brady and Lark are sigh back together and siiiighhhhh full speed ahead.—
Sara Netzley,
EW.com,
19 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near agonize
Cite this Entry
“Agonize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/agonize. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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