agonizing

[ag-uh-nahy-zing]

adjective

1. accompanied by, filled with, or resulting in agony or distress.

   We spent an agonizing hour waiting to hear if the accident had been serious or not.

Other Word Forms

• agonizingly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of agonizing¹

First recorded in 1660–70; agonize + -ing ²

Example Sentences

But writing it, reconciling with his past, would prove pretty agonizing in its own right.

From Los Angeles Times

The long, and for some of us agonizing, wait is over for the best spy drama on TV.

From Los Angeles Times

We see that in “Sinners” when Delta Slim recalls a fellow musician’s lynching, then processes that agonizing memory by humming a stirring melody before urging Sammie to catch up on guitar.

From Salon

She described an agonizing hour clinging to a tree with her teenage son and waiting for the water to recede enough to walk up the hill to safety.

From Los Angeles Times

Some National Guard members and their families are agonizing over troop deployments to Los Angeles in support of immigration enforcement operations, advocates say.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• excruciating 
• harrowing 
• intense 
• tortuous 

When To Use

What does agonizing mean?

Agonizing means filled with or resulting in agony—extreme pain or suffering, especially the kind that lasts for a long time. A close synonym is excruciating.Agony can be physical or emotional, and things that are agonizing can involve physical or emotional pain. A person who has just broken their leg and a person who has just experienced the death of a loved one could both be said to be in agonizing pain. To suffer an agonizing death is to experience an extremely painful one. An agonizing decision is one that is very hard to make due to being emotionally painful in some way.Agonizing is also the continuous tense (-ing form) of the verb agonize, which can mean to be in agony. However, it most commonly means to put forth a great effort—to struggle or strive, as in She’s been agonizing about what to get you for your birthday. Example: She’s down and appears to be in agonizing pain—the trainers are coming onto the field now to help her.