agony

/'ægəni/

Thân thiện

A person's face is contorted in agony after stubbing their toe.

Definition

Noun: 1. Extreme physical or mental suffering: A state of intense, often prolonged pain, distress, or anguish. 2. A violent struggle or effort: A state of intense contest or striving.

Examples of Usage

• Extreme Suffering:
  • The wounded soldier was in agony.
  • She waited in agony for the test results.
  • He described the agony of losing his child.
• Violent Struggle:
  • The agony of the final moments of the match was intense.

Advanced Usage

• "agony of": Used to specify the cause or nature of the intense suffering.
  • He felt an agony of remorse for his actions.
  • She went through the agony of defeat.
• "in agony": Describes the state of experiencing extreme pain.
  • The patient was screaming in agony.

Variants and Related Words

• Agonize (verb): To suffer or cause to suffer extreme pain or anguish.
  • She agonized over the decision for weeks.
• Agonizing (adjective): Causing extreme physical or mental pain.
  • It was an agonizing wait.
• Agonized (adjective): Expressing or showing agony.
  • He let out an agonized cry.

Synonyms

• Anguish: Severe mental or physical pain or suffering.
• Torment: Severe physical or mental suffering.
• Torture: The action or practice of inflicting severe pain.
• Distress: Extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain.

Idioms and Fixed Phrases

• Agony aunt (or agony uncle): A person, typically a journalist, who gives advice in response to readers' personal problems in a newspaper or magazine column.
  • She wrote to the agony aunt about her relationship troubles.
• Pile on the agony: To exaggerate or intensify a description of suffering for dramatic effect.
  • In his memoir, he really piles on the agony about his childhood.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a state of acute pain
2. intense feelings of suffering; acute mental or physical pain
   • an agony of doubt
   • the torments of the damned

Từ đồng nghĩa

• suffering
• excruciation
• torment
• torture