Agonize

Quick meaning: Agonize is a verb meaning (intransitive) To writhe with agony; to suffer violent anguish.

Meaning

(intransitive) To writhe with agony; to suffer violent anguish.

More Meanings

1. (intransitive) To struggle; to wrestle; to strive desperately, whether mentally or physically.
2. (transitive) To cause agony or anguish in someone.
3. (transitive, biochemistry, pharmacology) To act as an agonist upon; to combine with a receptor on a cell to produce a physiological reaction.

Example Sentences

His Touch, if tremblingly alive all o’er, / To smart, and agonize at ev’ry pore?

That dreadful bill […] was one of the chief torments of her life. At all hours of the night or day it was waiting just round the corner of her consciousness, ready to spring upon her and agonise her […]

So I took a last stare round, agonizing to see if there was any way of escape; but the stone walls and roof were solid enough to crush me, and the stack of casks too closely packed to hide more than a rat.

Word Forms

• agonizes
• agonizing
• agonized
• agonise

Synonyms for agonize

Depending on context, synonyms include lament, bereave, fret, torture, ache, hurt.

Antonyms for agonize

Common opposites include chill, relax.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include agonise, wring, writhe, throe, wrench, angst.

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