First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
agony
noun ag·o·ny \ˈa-gə-nē\
: extreme mental or physical pain
plural ag·o·nies
Full Definition of AGONY
2
: a violent struggle or contest
3
: a strong sudden display (as of joy or delight) : outburst
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Origin of AGONY
Middle English agonie, from Late Latin agonia, from Greek agōnia struggle, anguish, from agōn gathering, contest for a prize, from agein to lead, celebrate — more at agent
Related to AGONY
Synonym Discussion of AGONY
distress, suffering, misery, agony mean the state of being in great trouble. distress implies an external and usually temporary cause of great physical or mental strain and stress <the hurricane put everyone in great distress>. suffering implies conscious endurance of pain or distress <the suffering of famine victims>. misery stresses the unhappiness attending especially sickness, poverty, or loss <the homeless live with misery every day>. agony suggests pain too intense to be borne <in agony over the death of their child>.
AGONIES Defined for Kids
agony
noun ag·o·ny \ˈa-gə-nē\
plural ag·o·nies
Definition of AGONY for Kids
: great physical pain or emotional distress
Medical Dictionary
agony
noun ag·o·ny \ˈag-ə-nē\
plural ag·o·nies
Medical Definition of AGONY
1
: intense pain of mind or body
2
: the struggle that precedes death
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