agonizes

Meanings

1. 1verbintransitive

   To spend a long time worrying and thinking hard about a difficult choice or problem, often before making a decision.

   Grammar: No object; often followed by 'over' or 'about': She agonizes over every decision.

   Patterns

   • agonize over something
   • agonize about something
   • agonize over whether to do something

   He agonizes over every email before he sends it.

   She agonized about whether to accept the job offer.

   They agonized for days over which school to choose for their son.

2. 2verbintransitiveliterary

   To suffer great physical or mental pain; to be in agony.

   Grammar: No object; often used in literary descriptions of pain or distress.

   Patterns

   • agonize in pain
   • agonize with grief

   The wounded soldier agonized in pain until help arrived.

   She agonized with grief after the loss of her husband.

Word forms

Common combinations

agonize over

She agonized over the menu for the dinner party.

agonize about

He agonized about telling his parents the truth.

agonize for days

They agonized for days before making an offer on the house.

agonize over a decision

Don't agonize over a decision that can't be changed.

Synonyms and how they differ

worry

Worry is more general and can be milder; agonize suggests intense, prolonged mental struggle.

struggle

Struggle often implies action against difficulty, while agonize focuses on inner torment.

fret

Fret is more informal and often about small matters; agonize is stronger and more dramatic.

Opposites

Word family

agonizing adjective

Causing great pain or worry: an agonizing wait.

agonized adjective

Showing great pain or distress: an agonized expression.

agony noun

Extreme physical or mental suffering.

Commonly confused: agonizes or agonise?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “agonizes”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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